Fresh bid to disqualify Gopal Sri Ram as prosecutor
KUALA LUMPUR: Former premier, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s defence counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has filed a fresh application to disqualify fiat prosecutor Datuk Gopal Sri Ram from continuing the latter’s role as lead prosecutor in the cases involving Najib and himself based on the provisions under Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Shafee argued that the provision was applicable to deputy public prosecutors who were civil servants and came from under the Judicial and Legal Service.
He said he had filed a motion to introduce new evidence following the Federal Court ruling on Aug 7.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who led a seven-member bench, in dismissing Najib’s bid to stop Sri Ram from prosecuting in the 1MDB case, held that the ex-judge could lead the prosecution team in any criminal case assigned to him.
However, the bench ordered the prosecution to produce Sri Ram’s appointment letter as senior DPP and to extend a copy to Shafee, who appeared for Najib.
Shafee, who appeared before a Court of Appeal bench today to appeal against the ruling by then-High Court judge Azizah Nawawi in dismissing the judicial review by he and Najib, said the application to file fresh evidence was made yesterday.
Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan then asked the three-member bench, chaired by Hasnah Mohamed Hashim, for an adjournment, saying he needs time to reply to Shafee’s application.
“We were only served the sealed copies of the application to introduce the fresh evidence today,” he said.
Hasnah fixed Aug 26 to hear the application and appeal against Azizah’s ruling.
