Prosecution appealing against stay order granted to Najib

PUTRAJAYA: The prosecution has filed an appeal against the appellate court’s decision of granting former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak a stay of his trial on seven charges relating to SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

The notice of appeal was filed on Feb 12, this year.

Yesterday, the matter came up for case management before deputy registrar, Azniza Mohd Ali.

Deputy public prosecutor, Budiman Lutfi Mohamed said April 8 had been set for hearing of the prosecution’s appeal at the Federal Court.

He said the prosecution would have to wait for the Court of Appeal to provide its grounds of judgment before they could file the petition of appeal.

Meanwhile, Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee said the defence also needed the grounds of judgment to oppose the appeal.

On Feb 11, a Court of Appeal three-man bench led by Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi allowed Najib’s application to temporarily stay the trial pending the disposal of his appeal over the public prosecutor’s withdrawal of the certificate of transfer on his seven charges.

Following the Court of Appeal’s decision, Najib’s trial did not proceed on Feb 12 and the High Court set March 13 for case management.

On July 4 last year, Najib, 66, who is Pekan Member of Parliament, was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one of abuse of power for gratification involving SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.

On Aug 8 last year, he was charged again in the Sessions Court on three counts of money laundering involving the same amount from the same funds. Bernama