Najib removes lawyers from Zaid's firm

Lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik informed the apex court that former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak has discharged lawyers from Zaid Ibrahim's law firm, Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners.

However, Hisyam (above) himself will remain as Najib's counsel.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat then directed for the hearing to proceed.

Deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram then resumed his oral submissions against Najib's appeal.

Zaid used to serve as the de facto law minister during the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration in 2008.

Yesterday, the five-person bench denied Hisyam’s bid to be discharged from representing the appellant.

The lawyer had sought to be discharged after the apex court earlier disallowed a bid to postpone the hearing of the main SRC International appeal so the defence team could mount a proper defence.

On July 28, 2020, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found Najib guilty of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust and three money laundering charges involving RM42 million of funds from SRC.

Having meted out the sentence of 12 years in jail and RM210 million fine, judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, however, allowed the defence’s bid to stay the execution of the sentence pending disposal of the appeal.

Nazlan has since been elevated to the Appellate Court.

On Dec 8 last year, the Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s ruling and dismissed Najib’s appeal.

SRC International and Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB are fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF) Inc.

Initially a subsidiary of 1MDB, SRC was later fully transferred to MOF Inc.

Najib also used to be finance minister, advisor emeritus to SRC, and chairperson of the board of advisors of 1MDB.

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