Najib could be freed on bail, lawyer Shafee says

Najib Razak's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah says the former prime minister stands a chance of being released on bail if the Federal Court accepts his application for a review of the verdict and sentence handed down in his RM42 million SRC International case.

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya today, he said two possibilities might occur if the court accepts the application.

Firstly, he said, the case would be retried at the Federal Court. 

"I think that is the most likely to happen," he said. 

"But if they agree about justice Mohd Nazlan Ghazali and his qualifications, they might order for the whole thing to go back to the High Court for trial, not for the appeal alone. 

"For the whole trial to start from the beginning." 

When asked if Najib might be released on bail, Shafee said this too was a possibility.

"If it is through the High Court, in court he was given bail. So he will get the same bail," he said. 

"If he goes to the Federal Court, he will be given bail while waiting for the Federal Court's decision."

Najib, the former Pekan MP, was convicted in July 2020 of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering, fined RM210 million and sentenced to 12 years in jail. 

He lost his subsequent appeals at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court, and was ordered on Aug 23 last year to begin serving his jail term. 

His application for a review of the apex court's decision was heard today by a panel of five new judges led by Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli.

Abdul Rahman was joined by Court of Appeal judge Abu Bakar Jais and Federal Court judges Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Rhodzariah Bujang and Nordin Hassan.

Shafee said he was confident in Najib's case, adding that the review was for a "super good reason". 

"Because he was not given a fair trial," he added. 

The case proceedings will continue on Feb 20.