Najib files application to have Sri Ram disqualified in 1MDB audit tampering case

Datuk Seri Najib Razak (pic) filed an application to have Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram recused as prosecutor in the 1MDB audit report tampering case.

Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who represents Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had confirmed with reporters that the application has been filed on Friday (June 12).

“Yes, we filed an application to disqualify Sri Ram from being the deputy public prosecutor in the case.

“The application is supported by two affidavits: Datuk Seri Najib and (former attorney-general) Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

“We served the application on the Attorney General’s Chamber today (June 12) in the early afternoon,” he said.

He added that the defence team will insist that the court will hear the application first on Monday before the trial can proceed, as “it affects the integrity of the trial process”.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib had also said that the case management will be at 9am next Monday (June 15) before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

In an earlier post on his Facebook page on Wednesday (June 10), Apandi had alleged that Sri Ram came to him, saying that former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had wanted Apandi to arrest Najib in January 2018.

Sri Ram, who is also a former Federal Court judge, is the lead prosecutor in the joint trial of Najib and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy relating to the tampering of 1MDB audit report.

Najib was charged for using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was presented before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to avoid any action being taken against him.

Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making amendments to the report, to protect Najib from being subjected to action.

Last August, Najib’s defence team had also filed applications to disqualify Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the 1MDB trial.

The Star