On eve of verdict, Najib predicts RM42m SRC International battle to continue in Court of Appeal

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tonight said he will take his case to the Court of Appeal should the High Court find him guilty of corruption in the case of SRC International Sdn Bhd tomorrow.

The Pekan MP claimed presenting an appeal in the appellate court before a panel of three judges instead of one as in the High Court presides, will allow for fair judgment. However, this is not always the case as there have been instances in the past where only one judge has sat in the Court of Appeal, while a coram of more than three is also allowed.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali is the presiding High Court judge for Najib’s SRC International trial.

“Whatever the decision in the High Court tomorrow, it does not end here,” Najib said in a Facebook post.

He added that even if the High Court should find him not guilty, the prosecution will most certainly push for the case to be heard in the Court of Appeal too.

“The past two years has been one of darkness, with the filthy political games and Pakatan Harapan’s cruelty.

”Only the shining rays that is the rakyat’s support all this while has given me the strength to rise up and fight, motivating me forward,” he wrote.

He reiterated his self-confidence and preparedness, saying: ‘I am ready’.

“I do not want any of my cases to be dropped, as how Pakatan dropped Lim Guan Eng’s corruption case even though proceedings have already begun in court.

“For the sake of DAP and Lim Guan Eng, the legal and judicial system was simply played around by Pakatan. I do not want that,” Najib claimed, adding that he wants justice and to clear his name.

The 67-year-old Najib is scheduled to attend court at 10am tomorrow and will find out if the seven charges against him in relation to RM42 million belonging to SRC International will stand, or if he faces a partial or full acquittal.

In this case, one of five against him, Najib stands accused of three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering, and one count of abuse of power as he was the then prime minister and finance minister.  

For criminal breach of trust the penalty is a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment, whipping, and a fine, per Section 409 of the Penal Code.

For money laundering, under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti- Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, the penalty is a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment, a RM5 million fine, or five times the amount, whichever is higher, for each charge.

For abuse of power, under Section 23(1) and Section 24 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, the penalty is a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.