Najib Fails To Delay 15-Year Jail Term & RM11.4 Billion Fine In 1MDB Case
Najib's lawyer said he will file an appeal over the decision.
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Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has failed to secure a stay of execution on his 15-year jail sentence and RM11.4 billion fine in the 1MDB corruption case
High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin dismissed his application today, 14 October, ruling that he had failed to demonstrate any special circumstances that justified delaying his sentence.
"Therefore, on final merit, the application is accordingly dismissed," she said.
The judge also noted that Najib could no longer be regarded as a first-time offender, as his conviction and imprisonment in the SRC International case had been upheld by the Federal Court.
She added that the seriousness of the offences was an important public interest factor in determining whether to grant the stay.
Noor Ruwena also dismissed Najib's medical condition as a reason to postpone his sentence, noting that the medical report submitted to the court indicated he was receiving adequate treatment.
"The medical report presented to the court gave me the impression that the applicant's medical needs are very well taken care of by the government hospitals and experts," she said.
Najib's lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said he would file a fresh application at the Court of Appeal
"We will go to the Court of Appeal to file a similar application. We should get the stay because the appeal on the main case is going to take years," NST quoted him as saying.
Shafee had said that a medical report from Kajang Prison identified 14 health conditions affecting Najib, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, glaucoma, and pre-diabetes.
He argued that Najib's medical conditions, age, and prolonged imprisonment could put him at risk of irreversible health complications before his appeal was heard.
Shafee also contended that the RM13.47 billion in fines and financial penalties imposed on Najib exceeded his financial means and could lead to further imprisonment if he failed to pay.
In December last year, Najib was found guilty of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.27 billion in the 1MDB case. He is currently appealing the conviction.
