SRC case: Najib discharges Shafee & Co, appoints ZIST as new representative

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has discharged with immediate effect Messrs Shafee & Co from representing him in his final appeal against his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds at the Federal Court.

The matter was contained in a letter sent by the law firm to the Federal Court deputy registrar, a copy of which was made available to the media today.

The letter, signed by Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, stated that the legal firm had received a copy of a letter from Najib, informing them that they had been discharged from representing the former premier, at 5 pm yesterday.

Muhammad Shafee said that, in the same letter, Najib also said that he had appointed Messr Zaid Ibrahim Suffian TH Liew & Partners (ZIST) as his new legal representative.

"Following that, we are now in the midst of handing over the physical and digital documents to ZIST, which is expected to be completed by today," he said in the letter.

Messrs Shafee & Co has represented Najib in the SRC cases since the Pekan MP was charged on July 4, 2018.

Last May, the Federal Court set 10 days from Aug 15 to hear Najib's final appeal to set aside his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International funds.

On Dec 8, 2021, the three-man Court of Appeal bench upheld Najib's conviction and 12-year jail sentence as well as the RM210 fine imposed on him.

Judge Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, who presided with Datuk Has Zanah Mehat and Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, also dismissed Najib's appeal against the decision made by the High Court on July 28, 2020.

The Federal Court is Najib's final avenue to appeal against his conviction and jail sentence in the SRC case.

-- BERNAMA