Kuala Lumpur: SRC International Sdn Bhd’s RM42 million civil suit filed against former prime minister Najib Razak two years ago will only go to trial in 2025.
Lawyer Kwan Will Sen said the trial is scheduled to be heard by Judicial Commissioner Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan between Jan 13 and 17, Jan 20 and 24, Feb 12 and 14, Feb 17 and 21, and Feb 24 and 26, 2025.
“The parties met the trial judge in an online proceeding to obtain pre-trial directions,” said Kwan, who represented SRC and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd.
He said another case management will be held on Aug 4.
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Both 1MDB and SRC are seeking a total of US$23 billion (RM94.43 billion) in damages.
SRC International and Gandingan Mentari filed the suit against Najib claiming he had committed criminal breach of trust (CBT), misused his power, misappropriated SRC International funds and benefitted personally from it.
He is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence after the Federal Court affirmed his conviction in the SRC International case on abuse of power, CBT, and money laundering charges.
As part of its civil action against Najib, SRC International last year obtained a Mareva injunction from the High Court to prevent him from dissipating assets up to RM42 million pending disposal of the lawsuit.
Last December, the Court of Appeal dismissed Najib’s appeal from the injunction order, while the Federal Court is scheduled to hear the former prime minister’s leave application next month.
Under the terms of the injunction, Najib is not allowed to remove, dispose, deal with or diminish his assets in and outside of Malaysia up to the value of RM42 million, pending final determination of the suit.
He can also only withdraw up to RM100,000 a month from his bank account to cover living expenses and payment of legal fees.
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