SRC International: Najib remains in jail, court rejects his review bid

PUTRAJAYA - The Federal Court in a majority 4-1 decision today rejected Datuk Seri Najib Razak's bid to review his conviction, 12 years' jail sentence and RM210 million fine over the misappropriation of RM42 million funds belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd.

The majority decision came from Federal Court judges Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang and Datuk Nordin Hassan as well as Court of Appeal judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais on grounds that there was no merit in the former prime minister's application.

Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli, who chaired the five-member panel, dissented.

The decision meant that the former Pekan MP will remain in the Kajang Prison and his final option for an acquittal was through a royal pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

On July 22, 2020, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found Najib guilty of three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), three money laundering charges and a single charge of abuse of power involving SRC International funds.

Trial judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali (now a Court of Appeal judge), sentenced Najib to 10 years' jail on each of the three counts of CBT and three money laundering charges and 12 years' jail and RM210 million fine for the abuse of power charge.

However, Najib only had to serve 12 years in prison after the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

The conviction and sentence against Najib were later upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

Najib, 70, is currently serving jail time at the Kajang Prison after failing in his final appeal to set aside his conviction and sentence at the Federal Court on Aug 23, last year.