‘Judge in Najib’s trial randomly selected’
Bernama | July 6, 2018
Federal Court Chief Registrar’s Office says registration of criminal cases is done online through its e-filing portal and cases are randomly assigned to judges.
The Malaysian Bar has called for Justice Sofian to recuse himself from the Najib Razak trial as the judge’s elder brother, Mohd Soffi, has a position in Umno and the Pahang state government. (Reuters pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: The selection of High Court Judge Mohd Sofian Abd Razak to preside over the trial of former prime minister Najib Razak, who was charged with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power, was done randomly.
The Federal Court Chief Registrar’s Office, in a statement here today, said that since June 13, 2017, the registration of criminal cases at the Lower Court and High Court in Kuala Lumpur were being done online through its e-filing portal (https://efs.kehakiman.gov.my).
High Court Judge Mohd Sofian Abd Razak.
It said the registration process began when the prosecutors filed their cases in the e-filing system, which would then distribute them randomly to judges handling criminal cases.
“In reference to the Prosecutor v Datuk Seri Najib bin Haji Abd Razak case filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 4, 2018, the registration and distribution of the case was done randomly by the system to the High Court 3, Criminal Division, Kuala Lumpur High Court,” the statement said.
The High Court 3 judge is Mohd Sofian.
Last Wednesday, Najib, 65, pleaded not guilty before Sofian to three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of power abuse involving SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds totalling RM42 million.
It was reported earlier that the Malaysian Bar had called for Sofian to recuse himself from the trial as his elder brother, Mohd Soffi, has a position in Umno and the Pahang state government.
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