PUTRAJAYA, Jan 7 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is seeking the Federal Court to hear first his appeal to adduce new evidence in the RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah who confirmed the matter said this was because the outcome of the fresh evidence may have a critical bearing on Najib’s main appeal to quash his conviction and 12 years’ jail sentence and RM210 million fine.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Andrin Kamarul confirmed the matter while also adding that the Federal Court has set January 24 for further case management of the main appeal.

He said Federal Court Registrar Siti Hajar Mustaffa fixed the date during online proceedings today.

On December 7 last year, the Court of Appeal dismissed Najib’s application to adduce fresh evidence in his appeal against the RM42 million SRC case.

The next day, the same court upheld the conviction and 12 years’ jail term and RM210 million fine on Najib for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC funds.

Justice Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, who led a three-member bench comprising Justices Datuk Has Zanah Mehat and Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, dismissed Najib’s appeal against the KL High Court decision on July 28, 2020.

On the same day, Najib, 69, filed a notice of appeal to the Federal Court. — Bernama