Najib’s lawyer, special officer enter KL Court Complex as RM50m fine payment speculation mounts

On November 6, a member of former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's legal team, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta, according to a New Straits Times report. This coincided with growing speculation that Najib may be able to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest if the RM50 million fine was settled. His special officer, Ahmad Lutfi Azhar, had arrived earlier at 11:35 am.

Lutfi stated that a statement would be released once the matter was concluded. Farhan and Lutfi were later seen entering the High Court Criminal Registry office together. When questioned by journalists, Farhan smiled and entered the office without offering any comment. The scene was heightened with police presence, barricades erected at the entrance, and reporters gathered both in the lobby and outside the registry office.

Najib, 73, has been incarcerated at Kajang Prison since August 23, 2022, following the Federal Court's confirmation of his conviction for misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd. His original sentence comprised a 12-year jail term and a RM210 million fine, which was reduced in January 2024 to six years in prison and RM50 million in fine by the Federal Territories Pardons Board.

The fine and other conditions are to be met for Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, as granted by Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, on September 18. This arrangement is set to continue until August 23, 2028.