Judiciary lodges police report over articles implicating judge in 1MDB, SRC scandals

PUTRAJAYA: The Office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court has lodged a police report pertaining to articles published by two news portals that implicated the alleged involvement of Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and SRC International Sdn Bhd scandals.

According to a statement issued by the Federal Court registrar's office, the report was lodged to enable investigations to be carried out under Section 223 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, Section 499 of the Penal Code and other relevant legal provisions.

It said the articles were "Group calling for Najib's pardon now wants judge Nazlan arrested'' published by MalaysiaNow and "Shocking Revelation: Najib's Trial Judge Nazlan's Conflict-of-Interest Exposed" by Malaysia Today, both dated March 14.

"The articles contain a number of matters that are believed would interfere the administration of criminal justice and the country's judiciary," the statement read.

The Office asked the public to be more cautious and not to issue any statements that could disrupt the progress of cases under trial.

On July 28, 2020, Mohd Nazlan, the High Court presiding judge then, sentenced former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to 12 years in prison and a fine of RM210 million after finding him guilty of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC funds.

The case is currently at the appeal stage in the Federal Court after the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's conviction and sentence.

-- BERNAMA