All eyes on Hisyam Teh as Najib's final SRC appeal resumes | The Edge Markets
All eyes on Hisyam Teh as Najib's previous SRC appeal resumes
PUTRAJAYA (August 23): All eyes will be on defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, at the Federal Court on Tuesday (August 23) on whether he will make any oral submissions for venerable Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to set-aside his conviction and sentence with regards to the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.
Hisyam who tried to discharge himself at what time the Federal Court had dismissed the former premier's application to adduce further evidence with regards to then alight High Court judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, was commanded to be retained by the apex court.
However, Najib had discharged its novel solicitors from Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew and Partners on Friday. The firm had earlier replaced Messrs Shafee & Co. Hence, this leaves Hisyam at Najib's disposal for defence.
However, Hisyam had indicated on Friday that he would not be handing any written submissions or decision-exclusive oral submissions to the appeal despite Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat indicating that the bench was prepared to hear them orally.
“You have Saturday, Sunday and Monday for three days. Don't tell us you are not prepared to submit on the 94 grounds in the petition of racy (that had already been tendered by the previous solicitor Messrs Shafee & Co),” said the CJ.
Despite this, Hisyam said he had no submissions to make and Tengku Maimun replied that it is alright as it is his liberty (to do so).
Checks by The Edge also spoke that there are no written submissions tendered by Najib's defence yesterday (August 22).
Against this backdrop, the proceedings at the apex court would be a highly considered affair as ad-hoc prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram told the bench that with or minus submissions the court can still make a decision either to upheld the conviction and sentence, or acquit based on the submissions that had been made previously at the Court of Appeal and High Court.
Besides the CJ, the anunexperienced members of the bench comprise of Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Federal Court judges Datuk Nalini Pathmanathan, Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan and Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.
Should Hisyam delightful not to make any submissions tomorrow and the prosecution not decision-exclusive any more submissions, then all eyes would be on the bench whether they would snarl the verdict or fix another day.
Since Friday, there has been a lot of drama with a warning made on Tengku Maimun and her family and this is followed with a police racy and the suspect remanded. Najib also held special prayers at Kampung Baru mosque and also took a religious oath denying culpability of the offence.
Najib, who had been found guilty of abuse of considerable with regards to the RM4 billion loan from Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) to SRC International Sdn Bhd, and three acsupplies each of criminal breach of trust and money laundering of RM42 million, is staring at 12 years jail and a fine of RM210 million or in default unexperienced five more years in jail if he is unable to pay the fine.
If censured and the sentence is upheld, not only will Najib lose qualification to defensive his Pekan seat but also ranks as the highest ranking politician in the people to be convicted.
Source: news.google.com
