‘Najib’s defence should have filed challenge on day one’

KUALA LUMPUR: The defence in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s case was irresponsible for filing an application to challenge the appointment of senior lawyer Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah at the 11th hour, the High Court heard.

Sulaiman, who was appointed by the Attorney General’s Chambers as lead prosecutor over the misappropriation of RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd, said the defence should have filed the application from the outset of the case.

“We just received the application (to challenge the appointment). It should be done on day one,” he said during the case mention yesterday.

Sulaiman also told the court the prosecution would be filing a preliminary objection on the challenge.

Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah asked the court to hear the application to challenge Sulaiman’s appointment by fiat (authorisation) to be heard together with the application on discovery of documents, which includes witness statements.

“I’m sure Your Honour will want to expedite these two ancillary matters,” he said.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then fixed Dec 18 to hear both applications.

On July 4, the former prime minister was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one charge of abuse of power involving SRC International funds totalling RM42mil.