Shafee denies charging Najib RM2.4 million
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, has denied that he is charging RM2.4 million in legal fees to defend the former prime minister against charges of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power.
This followed claims to the effect from Pemantau Malaysia Baru president Datuk Lokman Noor Adam.
Lokman had said this when stating that a donation drive to collect money needed for Najib’s RM1 million bail would be continued to get another RM2.4 million for the former Umno president’s legal fees and other costs.
Shafee denied he was charging the embattled former prime minister that amount to fight the case, when contacted by the New Straits Times Press.
“Not true,” he said when contacted via WhatsApp yesterday.
Najib thanked his supporters for contributing to the fund, which enabled him to post bail pending his trial.
Najib, who was accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, during the bail process, said he was touched by all those who contributed to the fund.
“I am very touched by the contributions from Umno members and everyone else. It means a lot to me as the contributions were given with sincerity. There were no instructions,” he said when addressing supporters and members of the press.
Earlier, Najib and Rosmah arrived at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex at 11.45am in a white Toyota Vellfire and was greeted by 50 of his supporters.
Cries of “Bebas Najib” (free Najib) from his supporters were heard.
The couple then entered the registrar’s office for Najib to sign the necessary documents after two of his children, Nooryana Najwa and Noorashman, completed posting the remaining RM500,000 bail on his behalf.
Earlier in the morning, the organisers of the donation drive to raise money for the former Umno president’s bail said they had achieved their target of collecting RM500,000.
On July 4, Najib claimed trial at the High Court to three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of abuse of power in relation to transactions involving SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
The High Court set RM1 million as bail and Najib was allowed to settle it in two instalments.
The first RM500,000 was paid on July 4 and he was ordered to settle the balance by yesterday.