Najib withdraws appeal against SRC International charges

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak today withdrew his appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision to reject his application to strike out seven charges he is facing over RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd's funds.

Najib's counsel Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee informed the Court of Appeal that the defence did not wish to pursue the appeal, as the trial has entered an advanced stage.

"The appeal to strike out the charges is no longer suitable. We will put this argument at the end of the trial," he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Izzat Fauzan did not object to the withdrawal.

Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli, who sat with Kamardin Hashim and Zabariah Mohd Yusof, subsequently struck out the appeal.

Najib, who turns 66 today, is facing seven charges relating to criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering involving funds from SRC International.

So far, 54 witnesses have testified at the ongoing trial.

He filed the appeal after the High Court dismissed his application to strike out the seven charges on April 29, on grounds they were defective and constituted an abuse of court process.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled that there was no ambiguity in the charges against Najib, and that the prosecution was entitled to frame the charges as they were.

Najib was not present in court today.

Farhan told reporters that the defence filed the notice of discontinuance of the appeal yesterday.