Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (July 26): Law firm Shafee & Co has been discharged from representing former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his final appeal in the SRC International Sdn Bhd graft case.

In a letter to the court sighted by The Edge, the firm said that it will be replaced by law firm Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew and Partners.

"Please take note that on July 25, at around 5pm, we received a letter from the appellant (Najib), where he had immediately discharged Shafee & Co from representing him in the matter," the letter read.

The firm added that it is in the midst of handing over all related documents, both physical and digital copies, by Tuesday (July 26).

Shafee & Co lawyer Rahmat Hazlan also confirmed the matter with The Edge when contacted.

The new solicitors will be taking over the main appeal and all related applications.

The main appeal is set for hearing in the apex court on Aug 15 to 26.

However, the Pekan Member of Parliament has also filed an application to adduce fresh evidence, which comes up for case management this Friday.

The additional evidence relates to trial judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali's alleged conflict of interest, as he served as a general counsel and company secretary of Maybank Group in 2006, which Najib claims presents a real danger of bias.

The prosecution has contended that the application is nothing but a fishing expedition, as Nazlan's involvement in Maybank was in the public domain in 2018, before the commencement of the SRC trial in April 2019.

On a related note, the High Court on July 21 rejected the former premier's application to have Queen's Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw represent him in his appeal. At the time of writing, it is unclear if Najib's new counsels will appeal this matter.

On July 28, 2020, the High Court sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million, after he was found guilty by Justice Mohd Nazlan of seven charges involving SRC.

The seven charges comprised one count of abuse of power involving Retirement Fund (Incorporated)'s (KWAP) RM4 billion loans to SRC, three counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM42 million, and three counts of money laundering.

The Court of Appeal on Dec 8, 2021 upheld the High Court's decision.

Edited BySurin Murugiah
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