THE High Court today allowed an application by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is facing charges for money laundering, to amend the dates for the temporary release of his passport so that he could travel to Australia for a meeting with a King’s Counsel from the UK. 

Shafee applied to amend the dates, which were September 6–12 to September 15–19, 2022. 

Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin allowed Shafee’s application after deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz did not object to it. 

Earlier, lawyer Wee Yeong Kang, representing Shafee, said his client requested an amendment of the dates as he (Shafee) had to postpone his travel. 

This was because the King’s counsel, Geoffrey Robertson, needed time to study the documents before he could give any advice or recommendation to Shafee, he said, adding that his client would return the passport to the court on September 22. 

Shafee, who was the lead counsel in former Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s cases relating to SRC International Sdn Bhd and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), had been allowed to travel abroad on several occasions even after he was charged in court. 

The 70-year-old lawyer surrendered his passport to the court in September 2018 after he was charged with two counts of receiving money amounting to RM9.5 million, allegedly from illegal activities, through two cheques issued by Najib that were deposited into his CIMB Bank Berhad account. 

He is also facing two charges of engaging in transactions resulting from illegal activities, namely submitting incorrect tax returns and violating Paragraph 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for the financial years ending December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2014. 

On May 12, the prosecution closed the case after calling eight witnesses. The oral submission has been fixed for September 15. – Bernama, September 13, 2022.