Najib guilty: All 7 charges proven beyond reasonable doubt
The Court of Appeal delivers its verdict on former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's bid to quash his conviction, RM210 million fine and 12-year jail term in the RM42 million SRC International case.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings:
Parties exit SRC appeal verdict zoom proceedings
11.18am: Palace of Justice - Appellant Najib, his legal team, the prosecution team, as well as the three Court of Appeal judges exit the Zoom proceedings after the former prime minister’s SRC appeal verdict.
Court allows stay of execution pending appeal
11.17am: Palace of Justice - The bench allows the defence’s application for stay of execution of the 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine against Najib.
Judge Karim says the stay of execution also covers the conviction against Najib, pending appeal to the Federal Court.
He states that the terms of the stay are the same as that given by the High Court, namely that the bail remains at RM2 million with two sureties, as well as reporting to the nearest police station twice a month.
Najib to know his fate this morning
7.50am - Palace of Justice - Following a failed bid to adduce fresh evidence yesterday, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak will know today whether he succeeds in his appeal to quash his conviction, RM210 million fine and 12-year jail term in the RM42 million SRC International case.
A three-person Court of Appeal bench chaired by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil will deliver the decision via hybrid zoom proceedings this morning on whether to allow Najib’s appeal to overturn his guilty verdict as well as the sentencing for seven charges encompassing abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
The other members of the bench are Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.
The hybrid zoom proceedings, which...
The Court of Appeal delivers its verdict on former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's bid to quash his conviction, RM210 million fine and 12-year jail term in the RM42 million SRC International case.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings:
Parties exit SRC appeal verdict zoom proceedings
11.18am: Palace of Justice - Appellant Najib, his legal team, the prosecution team, as well as the three Court of Appeal judges exit the Zoom proceedings after the former prime minister’s SRC appeal verdict.
Court allows stay of execution pending appeal
11.17am: Palace of Justice - The bench allows the defence’s application for stay of execution of the 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine against Najib.
Judge Karim says the stay of execution also covers the conviction against Najib, pending appeal to the Federal Court.
He states that the terms of the stay are the same as that given by the High Court, namely that the bail remains at RM2 million with two sureties, as well as reporting to the nearest police station twice a month.
All quiet at Najib's home
11.14am: Pavilion Residences - Following the Court of Appeal's decision to dismiss his appeal against the jail sentence and fine in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case, Najib's residence is still deserted and there is no entry or exit activity.
Malaysiakini has also been informed that the police escort is still present.
Defence applies for stay of execution as Najib is MP
11.10am: Palace of Justice - Najib’s lawyer Shafee submits that the stay of execution can be both for sentencing and conviction.
He says this is because Najib is Pekan’s member of Parliament.
Defence submits for stay of execution
10.56am: Palace of Justice - Defence counsel Farhan Read submits for stay of execution of the jail term and fine against Najib, saying that the appeal to the Federal Court would be rendered nugatory (pointless) if the Court of Appeal does not allow a stay.
Najib calm in face of appeal dismissal
10.52am: Palace of Justice - Najib appears composed on Zoom screen following the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of his appeal to quash his conviction as well as 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine.
Najib to file appeal at Federal Court
10.45am: Palace of Justice - Lead defence counsel Shafee informs the Court of Appeal that they will be appealing against today's verdict to uphold Najib’s conviction and sentence in the RM42 million SRC International case.
The lawyer is now making an application for a stay of execution of the sentencing, pending appeal to the Federal Court.
Court dismisses appeal, upholds conviction and sentence
10.40am: Palace of Justice - Court of Appeal upholds the trial judge’s conviction, RM210 million fine and 12-year jail term against Najib.
The judge says the bench dismisses Najib's appeal.
‘Trial judge correctly found Najib guilty on 7 charges’
10.39am: Palace of Justice - Court rules that prosecution has successfully proven all seven charges of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering against Najib.
Judge: Money laundering charges proven
10.36am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim rules that the prosecution succeeded in proving the three money-laundering charges against Najib.
Arab donation claim a ‘concoction’ with no credit
10.30am: Palace of Justice - The bench agrees with the trial judge that Najib's defence claim that the money in his account an Arab donation was a concoction devoid of credit.
Judge Karim rules that there is no evidence that the money was from the Arab royal family and there is instead plenty of evidence showing the funds were from SRC.
Three CBT charges proven beyond reasonable doubt
10.27am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim rules that the trial judge correctly found that the three criminal breach of trust charges against Najib have been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Najib is seen calmly following proceedings via Zoom.
‘Arab donation claim untenable’
10.25am: Palace of Justice - Court rules the defence's claim that the money transferred into Najib’s account was an Arab donation is untenable.
The judge states that if it were really an Arab donation, then there is no reason for the money to first be deposited into the account of SRC, which was a wholly-owned entity of Ministry of Finance Inc.
'Najib knew of the RM42m in his account'
10.21am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim rules that Najib had knowledge of the RM42 million that went into his account between 2014 and 2015.
The judge says the bench agrees with the trial judge that there was clear misappropriation of the RM42 million by Najib for his own use.
Judge: RM42m monetary flow made to evade authorities
10.17am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim says the RM42 million monetary flow out of SRC and into several companies were done to make it more difficult to track and to evade detection by authorities.
Najib has full dominion over SRC
10.15am: Palace of Justice - Court rules that the trial judge correctly found that Najib had full dominion over SRC International.
Judge: Najib directed SRC board to divert loan overseas
10.10am: Palace of Justice - Judge rules that trial judge correctly found that Najib Abdul Razak had instructed the SRC board to divert loan funds overseas which has nothing to do with the purpose of loan from KWAP (Retirement Fund Inc).
The judge notes that Najib is the directing mind of SRC.
Najib is shadow director of SRC, court rules
10.05am: Palace of Justice - Court rules that the trial judge correctly found that Najib was the shadow director of SRC International.
Najib appears calm as verdict is read
10.04am: Palace of Justice - Clad in a dark suit and striped tie, Najib appears to be calm on-screen as he follows the Court of Appeal verdict on his RM42 million SRC appeal.
‘No national interest in Najib’s approval of RM4b loan to SRC’
10am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim says that Najib's action in relating to the RM4 billion loan to SRC was not for national interest but for personal benefit.
The judge states this resulted in no national interest and rather a national embarrassment.
Court: Najib has personal interest to approve loan
9.49am: Palace of Justice - Court of Appeal bench agrees with the trial judge’s finding that Najib as then-premier had personal interest for the cabinet to approve a government guarantee for RM4 billion from KWAP (Retirement Fund Inc) to SRC.
No misdirection in ordering Najib to enter defence
9.41am: Palace of Justice - Court rules unanimously that trial judge did not commit misdirection in ordering Najib to enter defence to all seven charges in SRC corruption trial.
Judge delivers introduction in Najib SRC case
9.39am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim begins introduction in Najib's SRC case from Kuala Lumpur High Court to Court of Appeal.
Appeals court panel begins delivering verdict
9.35am: Palace of Justice - Judge Karim begins delivering verdict in Najib's SRC appeal.
Judges enter Court of Appeal
9.29am: Palace of Justice - A three-bench chaired by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil enters the Court of Appeal to deliver their decision in Najib's appeal to quash his conviction and sentencing in the RM42 million SRC case.
Shafee appears on Zoom screen
9.22am: Palace of Justice - Najib's lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah appears on Zoom for the proceedings.
Najib appears on Zoom for SRC appeal verdict
9.05am: Palace of Justice - Najib appears on Zoom for the hybrid online proceedings in his appeal to quash his guilty verdict and sentencing in the RM42 million SRC International case.
Najib's legal team appears via Zoom for SRC verdict
8.58am: Palace of Justice - Najib's legal team is seen on Zoom for the former premier's SRC appeal verdict.
Among the defence lawyers are Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, Farhan Read and Rahmat Hazlan.
Lead DPP arrives at Palace of Justice
8.42am: Palace of Justice - Lead deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram enters the Palace of Justice.
He and DPP Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul are seen walking towards the Court of Appeal for the verdict in Najib's SRC appeal.
Police arrive at Pavilion Residences
8.15am: Pavilion Residences - Police are seen entering the former prime minister's residence.
The former premier is following his SRC appeal verdict proceedings via Zoom from his home.
Journalists allowed to enter Palace of Justice
8.07am: Palace of Justice - Officials allow journalists to enter the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya to cover the verdict of former premier Najib's appeal in the SRC International case.
Calm scene at Najib's residence
7.52am: Pavilion Residences - Najib's residence at Residents Pavilion, Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur is still calm and there are no signs of the former prime minister's supporters.
Najib to know his fate this morning
7.50am: Palace of Justice - Following a failed bid to adduce fresh evidence yesterday, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak will know today whether he succeeds in his appeal to quash his conviction, RM210 million fine and 12-year jail term in the RM42 million SRC International case.
A three-person Court of Appeal bench chaired by Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil will deliver the decision via hybrid Zoom proceedings this morning on whether to allow Najib’s appeal to overturn his guilty verdict as well as the sentencing for seven charges encompassing abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
The other members of the bench are Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.
The hybrid Zoom proceedings, which involves the judges and members of the prosecution team being physically at the Court of Appeal while Najib and his legal team via Zoom from other locations, was necessitated by the disclosure that the former premier, as well as the defence lawyers, had close contact with a Covid-19 positive person.
Yesterday, the same bench dismissed Najib’s eleventh-hour application to adduce new evidence for the judges to consider in the former prime minister’s SRC appeal.
In the lead-up to today, the Court of Appeal has shot down various attempts by the defence team to postpone its verdict on Najib’s appeal.
The former premier is seeking to set aside the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s ruling on July 28 last year which found him guilty on one charge of abuse of position, three counts of criminal breach of trust, and three counts of money laundering involving RM42 million of funds from SRC.
Formerly a subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, SRC later became wholly-owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc).
During his premiership, Najib was also finance minister, advisor emeritus of SRC, as well as chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisors.
In his ruling, High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali said that the SRC case involved the worst kind of abuse of position by the highest-ranking authority in government.
However, Nazlan allowed the defence’s application to put on hold the execution of the sentences, pending disposal of Najib’s appeal at the Court of Appeal.
The 15-day hearing before the Court of Appeal began on April 5 this year, and concluded on May 18.
Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah leads Najib’s defence team while the prosecution is led by deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram.
