Najib’s lawyer seeks to recuse chief justice from hearing final appeal
Application filed based on her husband’s Facebook post, says Hisyam Teh Poh Teik
(The Vibes) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s defence lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik is seeking to recuse chief justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat from hearing the former prime minister’s final appeal against his SRC International Sdn Bhd conviction.
He stressed that the application was not made to delay the proceedings but was based on new information that was gained in the past few days.
Hisyam said the application, which was also served to the prosecution this morning, is based on Najib’s affidavit for the recusal, in which he cited a Facebook post allegedly by Tengku Maimum’s husband, Datuk Zamani Ibrahim.
“I verily believe the above-named individual Zamani Ibrahim is the husband to the Honourable Chief Justice Her Ladyship Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat that is the chairman of the judicial panel that is hearing my final appeal of the SRC case in the Federal Court.
“I verily believe that these developments are highly disturbing in light of the fact that the said Zamani Ibrahim clearly has negative sentiments towards my leadership of this country while I was prime minister and had concluded I had syphoned sovereign government funds into my personal accounts.
“Being the husband of the chairman that is adjudicating my appeal, it is likely that he would have influenced the thinking of the mind of the chairman as to my alleged culpability,” said Najib in his affidavit.
He also said the bid for Tengku Maimun’s recusal was to protect the image of the judiciary.
The court has now stood down to deliberate on the application to recuse the chief justice.
