FORMER prime minister Najib Razak will apply for a British barrister to argue his appeal at the Federal Court to quash his conviction for the money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Andrin Kamarul said Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informed Federal Court Registrar Siti Hajar Mustaffa during online proceedings today.

“The defence will write a letter to the Federal Court by tomorrow on its intention to apply for a Queen’s Counsel from the UK to attend and argue on Najib’s appeal.

“The court has fixed January 28 for case management to determine the next step for the appeal,” he told reporters.

The appointment of the barrister will be on an ad hoc basis after obtaining admission from the Malaysian court.

The court also fixed March 15 and 16 to hear Najib’s appeal to adduce new evidence.

On December 7 last year, the Court of Appeal dismissed Najib’s application to adduce new evidence in his appeal, ruling that Najib had failed to cumulatively satisfy section 61 of the Courts of Judicature Act that fresh evidence was required for justice in the case.

The following day, the same court upheld Najib’s conviction and 12-year prison sentence, and RM210 million fine for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC funds.

Justice Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, who led a three-member bench comprising Justices Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, dismissed Najib’s appeal against a Kuala Lumpur High Court decision on July 28, 2020.

Najib, 69, filed a notice of appeal to the Federal Court. – Bernama, January 24, 2022.