A THREE-MAN bench in the appellate court today rejected Najib Razak’s application to delay hearing his appeal against his conviction and jail sentence for misappropriation of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah asked for at least a month’s postponement because the defence needed more time to collect evidence on the alleged involvement of former Bank Negara governor Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz’s family’s in his client’s case.

The lawyer said: “We still have the intention to file, our efforts have been sabotaged.”

He said the internet was rife with reports of  “Zeti’s husband and son’s USUS$16.291 billion in banks in Singapore… this payment was made from the money raised from the bond issuance of 1MDB.”

The bench led by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil unanimously rejected the application. The two other judges on the bench were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.

Karim said Shafee did not present the court with sufficient grounds for an adjournment.

Lead prosecutor V. Sithambaram told the court the prosecution was not filing any new applications and that Zeti’s family issue was not part of this case.

“We are all ready after having sleepless nights. I pray that it (appeal hearing) proceeds without further delay,” Sithambaram said.

The court has fixed April 5-8, 12-15 and 19-22 to hear the appeal.

It is Najib’s first appeal after the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, 2020 convicted the former prime minister of criminal breach of trust, money-laundering and power abuse, involving RM42 million of money belonging to 1MDB subsidiary SRC. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million.

Najib is currently out on bail for RM2 million in two sureties pending appeal.

The court session will resume later today. – April 5, 2021.