AGC accused of changing its tune over Najib’s house arrest

A lawyer for former Prime Minister Najib Razak has accused the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) of "shifting the goalposts" regarding the implementation of his house arrest order. Farhan Shafee, representing Najib, stated that the AGC's recent statement about the discharge order conflicts with their earlier media release, creating confusion.

The AGC's statement raised questions about the order's clarity and its enforceability, according to Farhan. He emphasized that the court's order clearly indicated that the RM50 million fine Najib had paid and that the remainder of his sentence would be served under house arrest, as per the conditional pardon. Farhan argued that the order does not need any interpretation and that court orders in criminal cases are prepared by the court, not the defense.

Yesterday, AGC prosecutor Dusuki Mokhtar had expressed concerns about the accuracy of the terminology and legal provisions used in the order of discharge. These issues reportedly caused confusion among legal practitioners. The High Court had released Najib after the fine was paid through a party solidarity fund, allowing him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest.

However, the AGC subsequently requested a review of the conditional pardon and order of discharge, citing complex legal questions. The AGC maintained that their request was not a challenge to the conditional pardon itself but rather an attempt to clarify its legal impact. This move drew criticism from Istana Negara, which stated that challenging the conditional pardon order would be defying the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's decree.

Istana Negara asserted that the pardon order was clear and unambiguous, with no impact on Najib's other legal matters.