Malaysia's apex court rejects ex-PM Najib's bid to review guilty verdict

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), March 31 (Bernama) --  Malaysia's Federal Court in a 4-1 majority judgment Friday dismissed former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s application to review his conviction and 12 years’ jail sentence and fine for misappropriation of RM42 million (US$9.5 million) in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

The majority decision was read out by Federal Court judge Vernon Ong Lam Kiat.

Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli, who chaired a five-member bench, dissented.

Others on the bench were Federal Court judges Rhodzariah Bujang and Nordin Hassan and Court of Appeal judge Abu Bakar Jais.

Najib, 69, who is currently serving a 12-year jail term, had sought to overturn the decision made by the previous panel of the Federal Court, led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on Aug 23 last year.

Najib, in his review application, sought an acquittal or for re-hearing of his final appeal at the Federal Court.

On July 28, 2020, the then High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, sentenced Najib to 10 years' jail on each of the three counts of criminal breach of trust and each of the three counts of money laundering, and 12 years' jail and RM210 million (US$47.65 million) fine, in default five years' jail, in the case of abusing his position.

On Dec 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's decision and rejected Najib’s appeal to set aside his conviction and jail sentence as well as the fine.

-- BERNAMA