Deputy public prosecutor Ashrof Adrin Kamarul told reporters this after case management before the Federal Court today.
Earlier this week, Najib’s new defence team requested the Federal Court to postpone the 10-day hearing “in light of the change of solicitors and counsel” representing the former prime minister.
Law firm Zaid Ibrahim Suffian TH Liew & Partners was appointed to represent Najib in his SRC International final appeal after Najib’s previous lawyers from Shafee & Co informed the Federal Court that the former prime minister had discharged them.
Senior lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik is set to replace Shafee Abdullah in leading the appeal. Shafee led Najib’s defence in the SRC International case in the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Hisyam, who has 45 years’ experience, is currently representing Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the former deputy prime minister’s corruption cases in the High Court.
Ashrof said the Federal Court also fixed Aug 15 – the first day of the hearing – to hear Najib’s bid to adduce fresh evidence over the involvement of trial judge Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
Nazlan, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, had in 2006 held the position of general counsel and company secretary of Maybank Investment Bank Bhd.
In an affidavit-in-reply filed in the Federal Court last month, Ashrof said there was no evidence that Nazlan was involved in the setting up or incorporation of SRC as 1MDB was the one that had set up SRC at the time.
Today, he said written submissions for the bid to adduce fresh evidence must be filed before Aug 5.
“They (Najib’s lawyers) will also be making the same application to adjourn both matters (bid to adduce fresh evidence, and the main appeal) in open court before the Federal Court on Aug 15,” he said.
Last year, the Court of Appeal affirmed the High Court’s decision in July 2020 to convict Najib on seven charges of power abuse, criminal breach of trust and money laundering over RM42 million belonging to SRC International that entered into his AmBank accounts.
It also upheld Najib’s 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine. He is out on bail pending his final appeal before the Federal Court.
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