Final SRC appeal: Apex Court upholds Najib's guilty verdict

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has terminated Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s appeal to quash his conviction and sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial on Tuesday (Aug 23).

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Sleeping pad says the protection is so inherently sporadic it failed to increase reasonable doubt.

She says the conviction is safe on all seven costs and that the sentence is not excessive.

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“These appeals are usually therefore unanimously terminated and the conviction plus sentence are affirmed.

“I pronounce warrant of committal, ” the CJ said before adjourning the proceedings.

Najib’s lead advice Hisyam Teh Poh Teik had stood up to request for the stay of execution pending a review application on the decision.

This was denied with the court.

“There is no law supply for that. Court is definitely adjourned, ” the CJ responded before leaving the court room Tuesday (Aug 23).

Earlier Wednesday, the defence group applied for the Chief Proper rights to be recused from hearing the final benefit of the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

“The app has been processed and given a (case) number, ” stated Najib’s lead advice Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.

He or she said the application had been made with “the finest respect” and it was to raise a point associated with law and not in order to delay the proceedings.

In the assisting affidavit, Najib stated there was a Fb post by a person named “Zamani Ibrahim” on May eleven, 2018.

However , the prosecution has slammed Najib’s application to recuse the Chief Justice as another postpone tactic.

Lead prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram said the defence made the application with “mala fide (bad faith)”.

“This application is usually mala fide. Accomplished to scuttle the proceedings, ” he said in his answer the defence’s submission on Tuesday (Aug 23).

Najib Razak’s former lawyer in the SRC Worldwide Sdn Bhd Bronze Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, also produced a short cameo throughout the hearing here.

The senior attorney arrived shortly after Hisyam informed the five-judge panel that he had roped in Muhammad Shafee to help him with the application to recuse the Chief Proper rights from presiding within the appeal.

Muhammad Shafee then asked for an adjournment when he was unprepared for that motion.

“I have no material just before me, ” this individual said.

Justice Tengku Maimun dismissed the application, saying there is no reason in order to adjourn the recusal matter, and requested Hisyam to continue with his submission.

“I have given my ruling. We find no reason in order to adjourn this matter, ” the CJ said.

On July 28, 2020, Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali (now a Court of Appeal judge) found guilty and sentenced Najib on seven charges involving criminal breach of trust (CBT), money laundering and abuse of position, involving SRC money, totalling RM42mil.

He was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and a good of RM210mil.

The conviction and sentence were maintained by the Court of Appeal.

Najib had filed 94 grounds on precisely why the Court associated with Appeal had erred in its decision to uphold the High Court’s conviction and phrase.

More to come