Najib escapes further bail conditions, but judge 'won't tolerate attempts to mislead court'

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 4): Datuk Seri Najib Razak (pictured) today avoided having further conditions imposed on his bail, after the prosecution questioned his presence in Johor last Friday. The former premier was there to campaign for the impending Tanjung Piai polls.

However, High Court Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah, after hearing submissions from the prosecution and defence, warned that he was not willing to accept any sort of behaviour that would seem to undermine or mislead the court, and would not hesitate to punish such contempt.

"However, after hearing the submissions the judge said the court would not impose extra conditions in this matter," he said in his ruling at the start of the 29th day of hearing of Najib's 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) case.

The prosecution, led by former Federal Court judge Datuk Gopal Sri Ram, wanted to move the court to impose further sanctions on the former premier following complaints from Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, after a police report was lodged over Najib's presence in Pontian, a day after he was granted leave from trial for swollen eyes triggered by allergies.

Sri Ram said Thomas is seeking for the court to impose sanctions on the former premier by restricting his movement within the Federal Territory and to report to the police station nearest to his house every Saturday.

The former Federal Court judge added the AG was seeking this as he questioned the "miraculous" recovery of Najib's eye ailment, resulting in a public outcry.

"We submit the accused is using his MC as abuse to obtain adjournment and prolong the trial. There must be sanction on this utter contempt for court proceedings," Sri Ram told the court.

Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah defended his client, saying that the former premier's eyes were still swollen and that he was not misleading the court.

Shafee further questioned the police report lodged by the individual in Pontian who saw the former premier and his delegation after Friday prayers at the Jalan Sungai Kuali mosque there.

"However, the complainant got the matter wrong when he claimed that my client's medical certificate was for two days when it was only for one day as we informed the court on Thursday.

"Clearly the AG had got his facts wrong in wanting to impose further conditions. Furthermore, we had informed the court on Thursday that Najib may go to the Tanjung Piai by-election if his condition improves," he said.

The senior lawyer said there is no intention to mislead the court as his client had attended a total of 106 days of trial (including the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial) as Najib is truly suffering an eye infection and was going to a have blood test on Friday.

Sri Ram defended the AG saying that Thomas has his own information and wanted sanctions to be imposed.

Shafee responded by urging the person who lodged the report, who the lawyer claimed "as hiding behind someone's skirt", to come forward, and vouched that the former premier would not undermine the court.

"My client was there (in Tanjung Piai) for a day," he said.

Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 money laundering charges in relation to 1MDB funds.

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