Najib applies to cite more evidence in bid to nullify SRC trial

Former prime minister Najib Razak has filed an application to adduce further evidence in the Federal Court to nullify his entire trial on the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds which had found him guilty of seven charges.

Najib’s lead counsel Muhammed Shafee Abdullah said the evidence they sought to reduce related to the recent discovery that the trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali was in 2006 the general counsel and company secretary for Maybank Group with the ultimate overall responsibility for the management and administration of all legal departments within the entire group.

“The further evidence sought to be adduced taken cumulatively credibly confirms that justice Nazlan was involved and/or had knowledge of Maybank Investment’s role in advising the setting up of SRC in his role as the general counsel and company secretary to Maybank.

“Justice Nazlan, by virtue of his position and assignment of functions, would have to be responsible in the overall handling of all legal matters within the group. Maybank Group would include Maybank Investment and Bina Fikir Sdn Bhd.

“In any case, justice Nazlan would have actual knowledge of the relevant advisory work vis-à-vis SRC matters or, at the minimum, is imputed with constructive knowledge by virtue of his said position,” he said in a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Shafee said documents recently brought to their attention divulged that Maybank Investment Bank Bhd was the body responsible for proposing the establishment of SRC International and that Maybank Investment, through its wholly-owned strategic advisory division, Bina Fikir, was tasked with research and advisory matters pertaining to the establishment of SRC.

“The involvement of Maybank through Maybank Investment and Bina Fikir in the setting up of SRC was never brought up by the prosecution at any point of the SRC trial and no witness from Maybank, Maybank Investment and Bina Fikir Sdn Bhd was called or offered by the prosecution,” he said.

On April 29, the Federal Court fixed 10 days in August to hear Najib’s final bid against his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.

On Dec 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal upheld Najib’s conviction and 12-year jail sentence as well as his RM210 million fine for misappropriating the funds.

Judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, who presided with Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, unanimously dismissed Najib’s appeal against the High Court’s decision on July 28, 2020.

The Federal Court is the final avenue for the Pekan MP to appeal against his sentence and conviction.