KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak is seeking to have his RM27 million money laundering charges set for trial as soon as possible.
This was after the prosecution told the High Court that the case could not commence pending an appeal by UK-based King's Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw to be admitted as an advocate and solicitor to represent the former prime minister in his SRC International case.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul told High Court judge Muniandy Kannyappan that Laidlaw's appeal will be heard at the Court of Appeal on Aug 10.
"Thus, I had been instructed to ask for another date for case management after the hearing at the Appellate Court," he said.
Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said the defence did not object to the application.
However, he also urged the court to fix the trial date during the next case management.
"If the court intends to set a mention or case management date in August, I kindly request that the trial date be arranged as soon as possible," he said.
The court fixed Aug 18 for the next case management.
On Feb 3, 2019, Najib claimed trial to three other charges of money laundering by accepting proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM27 million through his three AmPrivate Banking accounts.
He allegedly committed all the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd, 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 convicted.
Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison after the Federal Court had on Aug 23, 2022, upheld the conviction and jail term and a fine of RM210 million against him after finding him guilty of misappropriating SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million.