Najib makes last-minute switch in lawyers ahead of final SRC appeal

Former prime minister Najib Razak has made an eleventh hour switch in lead counsel for his final appeal against his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.

His move to discharge his lead defence lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, also comes days after the High Court denied the application by Queen's Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw to represent the former leader in his appeal. 

Shafee's law firm Shafee & Co said in a letter to the Federal Court that Najib had discharged it from representing him in the case. 

"Through the same letter, the appellant informed that he has appointed Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners as solicitors," it added in the letter made available to the media today.

"Following that, we are in the midst of handing over the physical and digital documents to ZIST, which is expected to be completed by today."

The Federal Court has set 10 days from Aug 15 to hear Najib’s appeal against his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of the company’s funds.

The former prime minister was convicted in 2020 of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering in the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.

He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million, a verdict unanimously upheld by a three-man Court of Appeal bench in December last year.

The appeals court, in throwing out Najib’s appeal, described the RM42 million transfers from SRC International as a "national embarrassment".

On May 31, Najib filed an application to allow Laidlaw to represent him in the SRC appeal on several grounds, including what he said was his special qualifications, experience and expertise which were not available among lawyers in Malaysia.

However, the Kuala Lumpur High Court said Laidlaw failed to show that he had special qualifications and experience to handle the charges against Najib.

The judge also said Laidlaw had not shown that local advocates and solicitors lacked the ability or special qualifications to conduct the appeals.