With the ruling on his final court appeal looming, former premier and convicted felon Najib Abdul Razak swore a religious oath or ‘sumpah laknat’ last night to proclaim his innocence in one of his 1MDB-linked corruption trials. Specifically, Najib swore that he was not aware that the RM42 milion (US$9.4 million) in funds from SRC International that was deposited into his personal account came from the company.
The 69-year-old Pekan member of parliament swore that he never published anything or consented to the creation of SRC in order to embezzle money for himself or his family yesterday evening after a “solat hajat” (special prayer held for specific requests) at the Masjid Jamek mosque in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.
Additionally, Najib said he never gave any of SRC’s directors or employees instructions to transfer funds to his personal account.
“I have never held a cabinet meeting to gain approval for a RM4 billion loan from KWAP (Retirement Fund Incorporated) with the intention of obtaining ill-gotten gains amounting to the said RM42mil,” Najib said.
“If I am deceitful, then may I be condemned upon this oath and therefore I will accept God’s wrath.”
“If these all are merely lies planned by my political rivals, then dear God, I ask upon you to punish them as well as those who are complicit and colluding with them.”
Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali of the High Court found Najib guilty of seven criminal offences in 2020 for stealing RM42 million from SRC International.
He received a 12-year jail term and a RM 210 million fine from the judge. The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal on December 8, 2021, when the three-judge panel unanimously dismissed Najib’s appeal against the High Court’s decision.
His current appeal at the Federal Court is his last chance to overturn the conviction.
Najib said last night’s gathering was held so that justice would be served in his appeal against the SRC International case verdict.
The Pekan MP added that he took the oath to absolve himself and his family of any misconduct in connection with the SRC trial.
Five hundred worshipers joined Najib when he arrived at the mosque at around 8.30 p.m. They included his wife Rosmah Mansor, son Mohd Norashman, and Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.
In a dramatic turn of events last week, Najib’s lead counsel sought to recuse himself from the trial by arguing that he did not have enough time to prepare for the appeal. Hisyam Teh Pok Teik tried to force the Chief Justice to postpone the trial for a few months. However, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat continued to reject his submission of adjournment and told the court that the hearing would continue as planned.
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