KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has given been an extension by the Federal Court to file an appeal petition by today against his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel led by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim allowed Najib's application for an extension of time no later than today to file the petition.
The other two judges on the bench were Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan and Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan.
The matter was confirmed by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul after the online hearing of the application.
"The federal court granted an extension of time to file the appeal today, the unanimous decision by the Federal Court granting extension of time for 14 days from April 11, 2022, applicant (Najib) to file petition of appeal for SRC main appeal by today April 25, 2022," he said.
Najib on April 11 applied for an extension of time to no later than April 25 to file the appeal petition.
According to his supporting affidavit, Najib said the grounds of the judgement prepared by the judges of the Court of Appeal contained 176 volumes in total and the defence only received them on March 31.
"It is impossible for my defence team to study all the records of appeals and prepare a complete appeal petition in such a short time to address all issues raised by the Court of Appeal judges.
"The grounds of judgement should be scrutinised by examining the notes at both stages of the proceedings to ensure accuracy in the findings, inferences made and applicable laws," he said.
In the SRC trial, Najib was found guilty of abusing his power with regard to the RM4 billion loan given by Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) between August 2011 and March 2012 to SRC, for which he was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million in default of five more years of imprisonment.
He was also convicted of three counts each of criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million of SRC funds being deposited into his accounts between Dec 26, 2014 and Feb 10, 2015. For each of these six offences, the former UMNO president and Pekan member of parliament was sentenced to 10 years in jail.
As the court ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently, Najib will spend 12 years in jail.
He is appealing his conviction and sentences at the Federal Court after the Court of Appeal unanimously upheld the High Court's verdict last Dec 8.