Najib's RM27m money laundering case transferred to High Court

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur was today told that the case of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving three additional charges of money laundering amounting to RM27 million of SRC International funds, has been transferred to the High Court.

Deputy public prosecutor Manoj Kurup informed Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi of the matter in the presence of lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib.

Manoj said on Feb 11, High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali had allowed the prosecution's application to have the case transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

However, mention date at the High Court has yet to be fixed.

Judge Azura then transferred the case to the High Court.

On Feb 8, Najib, 66, was charged again in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur with three additional counts of money laundering involving RM27 million, five years ago.

On all the three charges, Najib was alleged to have been involved in money laundering by accepting RM27 million, RM10 million and RM10 million which were proceeds from illegal activities, at his three AmPrivate Banking accounts.

The Pekan MP allegedly committed all the offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Ambank Group Building, No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan on July 8, 2014, under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

He faces a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment of up to five years, or both, if found guilty.

Meanwhile, in the High Court, Judge Mohd Nazlan fixed March 13 for Najib's case management relating to seven charges involving SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million, after attorney-general Tommy Thomas applied for the date when the case came up for mention today.

Thomas, who is leading the prosecution team, also informed the court that Najib's appeal had been fixed for hearing on March 11 and 12 at the Court of Appeal.

On the two days, the Court of Appeal will hear the appeals by Najib on his application for a gag order to prohibit the media from discussing the merits of his criminal cases; his application for the recovery of documents and statements, and his challenge on the appointment of lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah as the lead prosecutor in his seven charges pertaining to SRC International.

The Court of Appeal will also hear Najib's appeal on the withdrawal of the certificate of transfer from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

--Bernama