Malaysia court to deliver decision on Najib appeals on April 10

PUTRAJAYA - Malaysia's Federal Court will deliver its decision on former prime minister Najib Razak's appeals in his SRC International corruption case next Wednesday (April 10).

The appeals largely relate to procedural matters for the trial that began on Wednesday (April 3), in which Najib is alleged to have received RM42 million (S$14 million) in his personal account from SRC International, a former subsidiary of troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

He faces seven charges of money-laundering and criminal breach of trust relating to the payment, allegedly made to him for obtaining a government guarantee for a RM4 billion loan taken up by SRC.

The Pekan MP's legal team had appealed to the apex court on three pre-trial issues - for a gag order to prevent the media and public from discussing the case, to request for additional documents and to oppose the Attorney-General's move to withdraw a certificate transferring seven charges from Sessions Court to High Court.

The prosecution had also appealed on one issue - to withhold producing a letter of appointment for one of its ad hoc prosecutors, Mr Sulaiman Abdullah.

All four appeals were heard by a seven-judge panel over Thursday and Friday.

"We will deliver the decision, see you at 11am on April 10," said the panel chair Chief Justice Richard Malanjum on Friday, The Malay Mail reported.

The SRC trial is the first of four criminal cases against Najib. He faces a total of 42 charges of corruption and money-laundering linked to 1MDB.

Investigators allege up to US$1 billion (S$1.35 billion) had made its way into the former leader's personal bank accounts from 1MDB.

Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing and says the charges against him are politically motivated.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.