Immediately after Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was found guilty on all seven charges of misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd, his defence team requested for the mitigation to be heard on next Monday.
Najib's senior lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah made the request to presiding High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali as he would call one or two witnesses to support the mitigation.
“It is not something new to support the mitigation factor. There will be no prejudice on the prosecution for the court to adjourn the mitigation on Monday. My client would not go anywhere as the country is still under lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
However, ad-hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram objected the matter by saying that the mitigation needs to continue as the full judgment has already been announced.
“Your Lordship has found the accused guilty, usually stay after the conviction but here stay after the ruling (sic). In that case, obviously the prosecution is prejudiced and it was an awkward situation,” insisted Sithambaram.
Judge Mohd Nazlan had earlier found the former prime minister guilty on all seven charges of Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT), money laundering and abuse of position, involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.
He delivered the judgement after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving all seven charges against Najib, 67.
Sithambaram then argued that after a conviction, a sentence should be passed on the accused.
At this juncture, Muhammad Shafee stood up and said that the court can grant the stay until the sentencing is pronounced as they (defence) need the time to do proper mitigation.
“I take mitigation proceedings as serious in all cases, not only for this case. This was not the first time the application to adjourn the mitigation was made as it was done in several cases before,” said Muhammad Shafee.
On respond to Muhammad Shafee's argument, Judge Mohd Nazlan asked the senior lawyer to produce the cases he cited, however, Muhammad Shafee said the cases were not reported.
For this, Sithambaram said the court can grant the application to adjourn the mitigation if there were special circumstances.
Judge Mohd Nazlan then adjourned the matter to 2 pm to decide on defence’s application to postpone the mitigation proceedings to next Monday.
“If the court is unconvinced, it would proceed with sentencing,” stressed the judge.
According to a source, Najib has been taken into custody at the witness room attached to the courtroom and he will remain there until the proceedings resume at 2 pm and he is not allowed to leave as he has already been convicted.
“Food for lunch will be taken to him and he is allowed to pray in the room,” said the source.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Jul 28 2020
Najib's senior lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah made the request to presiding High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali as he would call one or two witnesses to support the mitigation. - Photo Astro AWANI/Shahir Omar
Unjuran pertumbuhan KDNK 2025 sebanyak 4.5-5.5 peratus adalah munasabah - Ahli ekonomi
Belanjawan 2025 adalah langkah terbaik untuk mengimbangi keutamaan ekonomi dengan realiti politik.
Semua negara wajib tamatkan pendudukan Israel ke atas wilayah Palestin - Suruhanjaya Siasatan PBB
Pendudukan Israel adalah punca utama kepada kitaran keganasan yang tidak berkesudahan dan konflik selama beberapa dekad.
Dijangka jana sebahagian besar pertumbuhan ekonomi global
BRICS memainkan peranan luar biasa dalam ekonomi global pada masa kini dan diyakini meningkat di masa depan.
Enam maut, 25 cedera bas terbabas di Turkiye
Enam terbunuh manakala 25 cedera apabila sebuah bas terbabas lalu terbalik di Aksaray wilayah tengah Turki, pada Jumaat.
Polis giat cari warga amerika yang disyaki diculik
Pihak berkuasa Filipina pada Jumaat melancarkan pencarian seorang warga Amerika Syarikat yang dipercayai diculik kumpulan bersenjata di selatan Filipina.
Singapura tahan remaja bawah ISA, rancang lakukan serangan
Jabatan Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISD) dalam satu kenyataan berkata pelajar yang radikal diri itu merupakan penyokong tegar kumpulan Daesh, juga merancang pergi ke Syria, untuk terlibat dalam keganasan bersenjata.
Pasukan pengaman disasar secara sengaja - Jurucakap UNIFIL
Jurucakap itu berkata kedudukan mereka telah berulang kali diserang di Lubnan, sekali gus meletakkan pasukan pengaman dalam bahaya.
Dia rakyat beta, beri keadilan sekarang - Tengku Hassanal
Tengku Mahkota Pahang itu dalam kemas kini di Instagram Story hari ini menambah, keadilan bukan sahaja perlu perlu dilaksanakan, tetapi ia juga mesti dilihat dilaksanakan.
Empat lelaki didakwa rompak jongkong emas RM710,000
Empat lelaki mengaku tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur, pada Jumaat, atas pertuduhan merompak jongkong emak bernilai RM710,000, awal bulan lalu.
Tiga penunggang motosikal maut dalam kemalangan berasingan di LPT2
Tiga lelaki dipercayai peserta program EX5 Members 4.0 maut dalam dua kemalangan berasingan di Lebuhraya Pantai Timur 2 (LPT2) di Kemaman hari ini.
COVID-19: Over 100 individuals in Penang undergo test
Most of them were tested negative for the disease while others are still waiting for the results, Penang Chief Minister said.
Pusat dobi layan diri tidak dibenarkan beroperasi
Turut tidak dibenarkan beroperasi, pasar malam dan pasar tani sepanjang Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan bagi mengelakkan orang ramai berkumpul
Do postponements cause delays in the Courts?
Cases may often be postponed or otherwise delayed for various reasons. The truth of the matter is that these delays may be necessary due to the Rule of law and due process.
Guilty until proven innocent; a devastatingly prevalent myth
While it is natural for us to be presumptuous, to place our version of the truth ahead of the law's is just purely juvenile. Lawyer Alan Razak writes.
"I feel guilty, I want to see Imam," kata lelaki yang tampar Imam
Demikian kata-kata Shabir Ahmad Khan, 31, lelaki warganegara India yang menampar imam Masjid Negara semasa solat Jumaat di masjid itu dua minggu lalu.
Mahkamah benarkan wanita batal saman bekas kekasih Bosnia
Hakim Timothy Finlayson Joel dalam keputusannya turut menolak tuntutan balas oleh Chung Shun Yee, 29, terhadap Ervin Ahbabovic, 41.