KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today failed in his final appeal to quash his conviction and sentence for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
This follows the unanimous decision of the Apex Court’s five-member bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in dismissing his appeal against his conviction, jail sentence and fine imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, 2020.
With the decision, Najib, 69 will have to serve the jail sentence from today.
Following is the chronology of Najib’s SRC case.
July 4, 2018 – Najib is charged for the first time in the Sessions Court with three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one charge of abusing his position over SRC funds totalling RM42 million. The case was later transferred to the High Court.
Aug 8, 2018 – Najib is charged at the High Court with three counts of money laundering involving the same money (RM42 million of SRC funds) believed proceeds from unlawful activities.
April 3, 2019 – Najib’s trial begins after High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali dismissed the former premier’s application to declare the seven charges against him defective.
Aug 27, 2019 – The prosecution closes its case after 58 days of trial involving 57 witnesses.
Nov 11, 2019 — The High Court orders Najib to enter his defence on all seven charges after finding elements of abusing position, dishonesty and money laundering by the accused have been proven by the prosecution.
Dec 3, 2019 – Najib takes the witness stand at the High Court as the first defence witness to answer charges against him.
March 11, 2020 – After 33 days of hearing and calling 19 witnesses, the defence closes its case.
July 28, 2020 – The High Court sentences Najib to 12 years in jail and a fine of RM210 million after finding him guilty on all seven charges.
Oct 19, 2020 – Najib files a petition of appeal which contains 307 grounds of appeal on why he should be freed of the charges.
April 5, 2021 – Najib’s SRC appeal hearing starts at the Court of Appeal.
May 18, 2021 – Najib’s SRC appeal hearing is completed after the court heard arguments from both parties for 15 days and reserved its decision to a date yet to be fixed.
Nov 23, 2021 – The Court of Appeal sets Dec 8 for a decision on Najib’s appeal.
Nov 24, 2021 – Najib applies to the Appeals Court to vacate the decision date due to the requirement to undergo self-quarantine for seven days due to COVID-19 and could only attend court or public gatherings from Dec 13. However, it is dismissed on the same day.
Dec 2, 2021 – Najib files a last-minute application at the Appellate Court to allow new evidence including from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki to be adduced in his appeal.
Dec 3, 2021 – The Court of Appeal fixes Dec 7 to hear Najib’s application to include new evidence.
Dec 7, 2021 – The court dismisses Najib’s request to postpone the hearing of his application and the delivery of the decision scheduled for Dec 8 due to the fact that he and his defence counsel are casual contacts with his lawyer who tested positive for COVID-19.
Dec 8, 2021 – The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision and dismissed Najib’s appeal to set aside his conviction and jail sentence in the SRC case.
Dec 8, 2021 – The delivery of Najib’s appeal decision proceeds online as Najib and his team of lawyers are under quarantine. On the same day, Najib filed a notice of appeal to the Federal Court.
Jan 7, 2022 – Najib is seeking the Federal Court to hear first his appeal to adduce new evidence in the SRC case.
Jan 25, 2022 – Law firm Messrs Shafee & Co submits a six-page letter to the secretariat of Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on Najib’s intention to appoint a Queen’s Counsel from the UK to assist the former premier in complex issues and legal questions in his appeal at the Federal Court.
March 2, 2022 – The Federal Court rejected Najib’s application to vacate the appeal hearing dates on new evidence, which is scheduled on March 15 and 16.
March 16, 2022 – Najib failed for the second time to adduce new evidence in his appeal.
April 11, 2022 – Najib through Messrs Shafee & Co applied for an extension of time no later than
April 25 to file the appeal petition.
April 25, 2022 – Najib files a petition of appeal and submits 94 grounds in his petition of appeal on why he should be freed of the SRC-related charges.
April 29, 2022 – The Federal Court fixes 10 days in August to hear Najib’s final bid against his conviction and jail sentence.
May 31, 2022 – Jonathan Laidlaw, a Queen’s Counsel from the United Kingdom filed the notice of originating motion to represent Najib in the case.
June 7, 2022 – Najib files an application to adduce further evidence to the Federal Court to nullify the
entire trial.
June 13, 2022 – The prosecution files an affidavit objecting to Laidlaw’s application to represent Najib in his final appeal.
June 16, 2022 – High Court judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh recuses himself from hearing Laidlaw’s application.
June 27, 2022 – The Malaysian Bar filed an affidavit objecting to Laidlaw’s application to represent Najib in the final appeal.
July 21, 2022 – The High Court rejects an application for Laidlaw to represent Najib in his final appeal.
July 26, 2022 – Najib discharges with immediate effect Messrs Shafee & Co from representing him in his final appeal, appoints lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik his new lead counsel.
Aug 15, 2022 – The Federal Court allowed the defence’s application to amend Najib’s notice of motion to adduce new evidence in his final appeal.
Aug 16, 2022 – Najib fails in his bid to adduce new evidence.
Aug 16, 2022 – The Apex Court dismissed Najib’s application to postpone the hearing of his SRC International appeal and fixed Aug 18 to hear the appeal.
Aug 18, 2022 – The Federal Court begins hearing Najib’s final appeal.
Aug 18, 2022 – The Federal Court dismisses Hisyam’s application to recuse himself from representing Najib.
Aug 19, 2022 – The prosecution wraps up its submissions.
Aug 19, 2022 – Najib discharges his solicitors, Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners (ZIST), from representing him.
Aug 23, 2022 – Najib seeks to recuse Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat from hearing his appeal, but the application was dismissed.
Aug 23, 2022 – Senior lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah fails to adjourn submissions on Tengku Maimun’s recusal bid.
Aug 23, 2022 – Federal Court’s five-member bench upholds Najib’s conviction, jail sentence and fine for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
— BERNAMA
