Najib at the High Court on Dec 1. – BERNAMApic
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has applied to be acquitted of three other charges of money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC) funds totalling RM27mil, which he is facing in the High Court here.
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib, said Friday (Dec 1) the application was made after DPP Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul informed judge K. Muniandy that the prosecution had yet to decide on the defence's letter of representation sent to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) on July 31.
"The case dates back to 2019 and has been mentioned several times before this court. Therefore, in order not to prejudice both parties, especially the client, I request the court to issue a DNAA order under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code as the case has not been pursued at all.
"If the DPP takes a different decision in the future, the prosecution may decide to pick up the case from where we left off... this case has been hanging for so long," said Muhammad Shafee.
Judge Muniandy then asked the prosecution why the AGC was so slow in deciding on the representation.
Mohd Ashrof said the case involved a high-profile person with many documents to be scrutinised and that there was another case (International Petroleum Investment Company or IPIC vs Najib) that had not yet been heard.
"All parties had previously agreed that the three charges would not be heard until the RM42mil SRC International misappropriation of funds case was decided and the case review was completed at the Federal Court on March 31.
"According to my records, there were only three mentions of the case after March 31, including today's proceedings. Therefore, I am applying for a final date to deal with the case to know how the representation is progressing," he said, adding that he had been instructed to apply for an additional three months to allow the AGC to review the contents of the representation.
Judge Muniandy fixed Jan 19 as a final date for the Attorney General to decide on the representation.
On Feb 3, 2019, Najib claimed trial to the three charges of money laundering by accepting proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM27mil through his three AmPrivate Banking accounts at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, AmBank Group Building, Jalan Raja Chulan on July 8, 2014, under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Finance and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.
He faces a maximum fine of RM5mil or imprisonment of up to five years, or both, if convicted.
The former Pekan MP is also on trial for embezzling RM2.3bil in 1MDB funds. The prosecution has called 48 witnesses before Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now a Court of Appeal judge).
Najib is also facing another criminal case for breach of trust totalling RM6.6 billion in relation to payments to IPIC before Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin, which is still at the case management stage
Najib is currently serving a 12-year term in Kajang Prison for the RM42mil SRC International case. – Bernama
More to come
