KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court has fixed Oct 8 for mention of the case of prominent lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah who was charged with receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM9.5 million from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and making incorrect filings under the Income Tax Act 1967.
Judge Rozina Ayob fixed the date pending the hearing of Shafee’s application for his case to be transferred to the High Court which is fixed for tomorrow.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz confirmed that the Attorney-General Chambers have no objections to the application for the case to be transferred.
He said the prosecution have prepared half of the documents which included bank statements and other documents.
The court then ordered for the remaining documents to be submitted in two weeks time.
When met outside the court, Shafee’s counsel Harvinderjit Singh said his client wanted the High Court to hear the case as it was unlike the usual cases under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) as it touched on constitutional issues and it was rather complicated.
Meanwhile, on the application for the recusal of former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram from leading the prosecution team in the case, Shafee said it will be heard at the High Court.
“This will be done at the High Court since we are applying for the whole case to be transferred there,” he said.
Shafee had applied yesterday for his money-laundering and incorrect tax filings cases against him to be transferred to the High Court.
The application was made on grounds that the High Court has the jurisdiction to hear the case.
On Sept 13, Shafee claimed trial at the Sessions Court to two charges under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 over receipt of two payments of RM4.3 million and RM5.2 million from Najib in 2013 and 2014.
He was also charged with another two counts of making incorrect tax returns to the Inland Revenue Board by omitting the RM9.5 million in his tax filing for the year under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.