By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 6: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has fully paid the RM50 million fine imposed on him in the SRC International Sdn Bhd fund misappropriation case at the High Court Criminal Registry Office here today.
This paves way for the former prime minister to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.
According to The Edge Malaysia, the fine was paid via a fundraising campaign raised by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
“Umno wishes to announce that the total amount of funds collected through the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund, which was launched on Sept 18 to assist (Najib), has reached its target and is sufficient,” the statement said, confirming that the process had been completed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
Bernama reported that Ahmad Lutfi Azhar, a special officer to Najib, arrived at the court at 11.30am to settle the payment and complete the necessary administrative procedures before the payment was finalised.
The payment is among the conditions of the conditional pardon granted by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim on Sept 18, which allows Najib to serve the remainder of his reduced jail term under house arrest with the caveat that he pays the RM50 million fine first.
The decision was made during the 64th Pardons Board Meeting for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya held at Istana Negara.
Previously, Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar stated that Najib must settle the fine at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Registry Office, as the case was filed and tried at that court.
At its 61st meeting on Jan 29, 2024, the Pardons Board decided to reduce Najib’s prison sentence from 12 years to six years and his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million.
On July 28, 2020, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced Najib to 12 years in prison and imposed a RM210 million fine after finding him guilty of seven charges involving the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and sentence in December 2021, before the Federal Court affirmed the decision and dismissed Najib’s final appeal on Aug 23, 2022.
– DayakDaily
