PUTRAJAYA (Feb 20): The proceedings of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s review over his conviction and sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case had to move to another courtroom, due to an audio and video failure at Federal Court 2.
The proceedings began at 10am, with Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah submitting for about five minutes, before the audio and video stream went out.
Following this, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli adjourned the review.
The parties then moved to Federal Court 1, and proceedings resumed at 10.52am.
Abdul Rahman had indicated that the bench, which also comprised Federal Court judges Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Datuk Rhodzhariah Bujang, and Datuk Nordin Hassan, as well as Court of Appeal judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, would hear the case in the morning only, and the proceedings would not resume in the afternoon.
Najib’s review has been fixed for three days starting from Monday (Feb 20).
The former prime minister wants a review of the Federal Court decision last Aug 23, which upheld his conviction and sentence with regard to seven charges in his SRC case.
SRC is a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
The grounds of his appeal are:
- A review of the Federal Court’s earlier decision to reject the defence’s application to adduce further evidence concerning trial judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali;
- A review of the apex court’s decision on the same day to dismiss his bid to postpone his appeal hearing;
- A review of the court’s decision on Aug 23 to reject his application to recuse Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat; and
- A review of the Aug 23 decision by the five-member bench to affirm Najib’s conviction and sentence.
Najib, who is serving 12 years' jail in Kajang Prison, was found guilty by the High Court on July 28, 2020, and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision on Dec 8, 2021. He was also given a RM210 million fine.
He was convicted of three counts of criminal breach of trust, three for money laundering, and one for abuse of power with regard to SRC funds.
Najib, who was wearing a dark blue blazer with red tie, was seated in the dock. Also present was his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.