PUTRAJAYA - The Federal Court today allowed an application by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to attend the hearing of the Attorney-General’s (AG) appeal concerning the existence of an additional document allegedly permitting the former prime minister to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.
A three-member panel consisting Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, and Federal Court judges Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof and Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, allowed the application and issued an order to produce (OTP) to facilitate Najib’s presence at the hearing, scheduled in July.
Najib’s counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, submitted the application, which was not opposed by Federal Counsel Ainna Sherina Saipolamin, who represented the AG.
The Federal Court had previously fixed July 1 and 2 to hear the Attorney-General’s appeal against a Court of Appeal decision that allowed Najib to initiate a judicial review related to the alleged document.
On Jan 6, in a 2-1 majority decision, the Court of Appeal remitted the case on Najib’s claim of the existence of an additional document purportedly allowing him to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence under house arrest to the High Court to be heard on its merits.
This decision overturned the High Court’s earlier ruling, which had dismissed Najib’s application for leave to commence a judicial review regarding the alleged additional document.
Najib is currently serving a six-year jail sentence in connection with the SRC International Sdn Bhd case, following the Federal Court's dismissal of his appeal and review application.
In February last year, the Pardons Board reduced his initial 12-year jail sentence and fine of RM210 million to six years and RM50 million fine. - BERNAMA