KUALA LUMPUR: In a new twist to his SRC International case, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has resorted to replacing his longtime counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah with former law minister Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim to handle his final appeal at the Federal Court.
Shafee sent an urgent notice about the latest development to the deputy registrar of the Federal Court today.
The senior counsel said he received a letter from Najib about 5pm yesterday informing him that he had been discharged from representing the former prime minister in the appeal proceedings.
He said Najib had indicated in the same letter that a new defence team led by Zaid had been appointed to appear on his behalf.
"The appellant wishes to inform that he has appointed Zaid Ibrahim Suffian TH Liew & Partners (ZIST) as his new solicitors," Shafee said.
Shafee also notified the court that his firm would be handing over all documents concerning the case within the day and the firm had also been notified that the SRC International final appeal is scheduled to be heard before the Federal Court for 10 days from Aug 15 to 26.
Shafee has all this while led Najib's defence team in the SRC International case right from the time the former Umno president was charged.In 2020.
Najib was convicted of all seven charges of power abuse, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million of SRC International funds.
The then High Court Judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali had sentenced him to 12 years jail and RM210 million fine.
Since then, Najib has lost in his bid to overturn the conviuction and sentence at the Court of Appeal and also failed in his attempts to introduce fresh evidence and also appoint a Queen's Counsel to represent him.