[UPDATED] 'Fewer cases hanging over him': Najib happy with SRC DNAA

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak is happy that he had been given the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) over three money laundering charges RM27 million linked to SRC International Bhd.
Najib's lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said the former prime minister is pleased with the decision of High Court judge K. Muniandy, who had issued the DNAA order today.
"He is happy simply because there are not too many cases hanging over his head. He has been asking for a DNAA for sometime.
"He can concentrate on the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case now," said Shafee in a press conference after court proceedings.
Shafee said the prosecution cannot appeal against Muniandy's decision today.
"If they are ready, then they can recharge. But, we hope they do not.
"There is enough prejudice on Najib. We implore the Attorney-General to use his good office and discretion to close this matter," he said.
Najib, however, will return to prison.
"For this case, he is freed. But because he is serving another jail term, he goes back to jail," Shafee added.
Shafee said Najib was charged in 2019 but the case was postponed multiple times over the years despite close to 30 days of trial set for proceedings.
"At last, the judge said the prosecution had conveyed to him in May that although they want to proceed with the case, they are not ready yet.
"This is because there are many documents, up to 500 pages, not in their hands because those documents are also required in the other SRC case, SRC civil case and cases involving others, so it (the documents) is everywhere.
"So when the judge asked if the documents could be obtained as soon as possible, the prosecution could not commit because they do not know when themselves," he said.
Shafee said Najib should have been charged for the offences in the first case of SRC involving RM42 million, where he was later sentenced to 12 years jail and fined RM210 million.
However, the Federal Territories Pardons Board reduced Najib's fine to RM50 million and halved his 12-year jail term to six.
"These three charges came later from the first SRC charge. Otherwise, Najib could have had a different outcome and he does not have to face a double journey.
"The prosecution should have known whether the charges were connected. In fact, they knew, but somebody forgot to bring it up to the same court for one joint case.
"As we know, money laundering charges cannot stand on their own. It has to be always associated with a predicate offence," he said.

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