Najib’s second SRC trial to begin after conviction appeal decision — DPP

(The Edge Markets) – Trial dates for ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s three money laundering charges involving RM27 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd will be decided after a decision is made on his conviction and sentencing appeal involving the same company.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul told theedgemarkets.com that High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today indicated the arrangement for the hearing of the three money laundering charges involving RM27 million in SRC, which is a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Justice Mohamed Zaini indicated the arrangement during case management today, according to the DPP.

“Following that (case management), Justice Zaini fixed Jan 7 [next year] as another case management [date], pending the decision on the [RM42 million] SRC case [in the Court of Appeal],” he said.

Today, Najib’s lawyer Nur Syahirah Hanapiah represented the former prime minister during case management.

On July 28, 2020, the High Court sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million after the former premier was found guilty by Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali of seven charges involving SRC, which included one for abuse of power involving Retirement Fund (Incorporated)’s (KWAP) RM4 billion loans to SRC, three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM42 million and three counts of money laundering.

Meanwhile, the RM27 million money laundering charges against Najib were filed in February 2019 — before the RM42 million SRC trial started on April 3, 2019.

At first, the prosecution in Najib’s SRC case wanted the three money laundering charges involving RM27 million to be tried together with the seven charges involving RM42 million, but the plan was changed due to a procedural issue.

Najib is alleged to have received the RM27 million at AmIslamic Bank Bhd’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch here on July 8, 2014.