THE Court of Appeal has fixed September 30 to hear lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s appeal against the high court’s dismissal of his bid to recuse former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram from leading the prosecution team in a RM9.5 million money-laundering case.

This was after a three-member panel led by judge Kamaludin Md Said allowed an application by Shafee’s counsel, Harvinderjit Singh, for postponement of the appeal hearing, which was fixed for today.

The other judges presiding on the panel were Azizah Nawawi and Ahmad Nasfy Yasin.

Harvinderjit informed the court that he sought an adjournment of the appeal pending the outcome of a judicial review in the high court in Kuala Lumpur.

The judicial review, filed by former prime minister Najib Razak and Shafee to challenge the attorney-general’s decision to appoint Sri Ram as a deputy public prosecutor, would be heard on July 29.

Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz did not object to the postponement of the appeal hearing.

The other judges presiding on the panel were Azizah Nawawi and Ahmad Nasfy Yasin.

On April 22 last year, high court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah dismissed Shafee’s application to recuse Sri Ram and also to obtain the letter of appointment of Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor.

Shafee pleaded not guilty in the sessions court on September 13, 2018 to two counts of allegedly receiving proceeds from unlawful activities via cheques issued by Najib, which were remitted into his CIMB Bank Berhad account.

He was alleged to have received a cheque for RM4.3 million on September 13, 2013, and another for RM5.2 million on February 17, 2014.

Both the offences were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Bhd in Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur.

Shafee is also facing two charges of being involved in transactions of proceeds from unlawful activities, that is by making inaccurate statements and in contravention of paragraph 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for financial years ending December 31, 2013, and December 31, 2014.

The offences were allegedly committed at the IRB’s Duta branch at Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan, Jalan Tunku Abdul Halim on March 3, 2015, and June 29, 2015.

The cases have been transferred for hearing at the high court.

As for the judicial review, Najib and Shafee had sought an order to recuse Sri Ram as lead prosecutor in their respective cases by stating that his letter of appointment was invalid.

Najib is facing corruption and money-laundering charges involving RM2.3 billion allegedly from 1Malaysia Development Berhad funds. – Bernama, July 24, 2020.