Najib's appeal against High Court refusal to disqualify Sri Ram to be heard on Sept 8

PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's appeal against the High Court's decision that dismissed his bid to disqualify Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram from leading the prosecution team in his ongoing trial for alleged tampering of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) audit report, will be heard at the Court of Appeal on Sept 8.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam, when contacted, said the date was set by senior assistant registrar Nadia Mohd Kamal during online case management today, which was also attended by Najib's lawyer, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah.

"The court also ordered both parties to file their submissions on Aug 24," Mohamad Mustaffa said.

On Feb 15, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed Najib's application to disqualify Sri Ram, who is a former Federal Court judge, from leading the prosecution team in the former premier's trials related to the 1MDB audit report.

Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan in his brief grounds said the court found Najib's allegation that Sri Ram had been involved in the investigation against him unmeritorious.

Mohamed Zaini said that Najib had, among others, relied on the communications that took place between former Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali and Sri Ram as proof of the latter's biases towards him and the applicant's apprehension of Sri Ram's biases was without basis and misplaced.

Najib and former 1MDB chief executive officer, Arul Kanda Kandasamy are on trial over 1MDB audit tampering charges.

The Pekan MP was charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to avoid any action being taken against him, while Arul Kanda is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report to protect Najib from being subjected to action.

-- BERNAMA