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Synopsis

Senior Counsel Sidharth Luthra and Kavin Gulati have been engaged to defend former Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Najib has appointed lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik as his lead counsel in his final appeal in the SRC International Sdn Bhd graft case.

Charges against Najib include, one count of abuse of power involving Retirement Fund Inc's (KWAP) RM4 billion loans to a company called SRC International, three counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM42 million, and three counts of money laundering.

The Malaysian High Court, on July 28, 2020,  granted Najib 12 years in imprisonment and a fine of RM210 million after he was found guilty of the above mentioned charges. In December, 2021, the Court Of Appeal, upheld the High Court's decision.

In March, 2022, the Federal Court refused to entertain Najib's appeal against the court of appeal’s order rejecting his application to let in more evidence in the case, in order to set aside his conviction.

The matter, is now before the Federal Court, which is scheduled to hear Najib’s appeal in two stages over a period of 10 days. According to sources,  the first stage is scheduled for August 15 to 19, while the second stage of hearings will take place from August 22 to 26.

Other lawyers engaged by Najib include Liew Teck Huat and Rueben Mathiavaranam from Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew and Partners.According to sources, the team will be seeking an adjournment in the final appeal. It is expected that the group of eminent lawyers, will move the  matter during case management at the Federal Court later.

LawBeat, has come to know that Najib has instructed the team to withdraw the appeal at the Federal Court to allow Queen's Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw to argue his case.

Last week, High Court Justice Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid had dismissed the application to permit Laidlwa to present the case at the Federal Court.

[Inputs: The Edge]