Gopal Sri Ram’s appointment as prosecutor raised again
KUALA LUMPUR: The defence team of former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak raised the appointment of retired judge turned fiat prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram on the first day of the 1MDB trial over RM2.3 billion even though the matter is pending an appeal in court.
Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the High Court that the entire 1MBD trial could be nullified, restarted, or that his client could be acquitted depending on the Court of Appeal’s decision concerning Gopal’s appointment in place of public prosecutor Tommy Thomas who recused himself to prevent public perceptions of a conflict of interest in the case.
“I’m not asking for an adjournment, I’m not asking for a stay, but I want to make that statement,” Shafee said in his preamble in the courtroom of judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
In response, Gopal pointed out that his appointment was not merely a High Court decision but had gone through “various levels”.
Both Najib and Shafee had filed separate applications last December to disqualify Gopal from acting as prosecutor, claiming it violated the Criminal Procedure Code.
