MUHAMMAD Shafee Abdullah has objected to Court of Appeal judge Abu Bakar Jais being co-opted to sit on the five-member Federal Court bench hearing former prime minister Najib Razak’s bid to have his conviction and jail sentence in his SRC International corruption case reviewed.

The veteran lawyer submitted that the panel should only consist of Federal Court judges, referring to section 74 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964.

He also suggested that a three-member bench could sit to hear the review bid as provided for under the Courts of Judicature Act.

Deputy public prosecutor V. Sithambaram argued that section 122 of the Courts of Judicature Act allows Court of Appeal judge Abu Bakar Jais to sit in today’s apex court panel.

The prosecutor pointed out that the provision permits Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat to get an appeals court judge to sit in a Federal Court bench if it is in the interest of justice.

This is the latest bid by Najib to overturn his guilty verdict as well as a 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine in a corruption case involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International.

Having exhausted his appeals before the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court, he is seeking a new apex court panel to hear his review against his conviction and sentencing.

Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli is heading the five-member panel hearing Najib’s bid.

The others on the bench are Federal Court judges Vernon Ong, Rhodzariah Bujang and Nordin Hassan. – January 19, 2023.