'First case in my almost 50-year career, I lost every single point' - Shafee
“If this were football, they scored 100 goals and we scored zero,” he said.
By KOUSALYA SELVAM AND NUR ADNIN MAHALIM
26 Dec 2025 10:27pm
26 Dec 2025 10:27pm
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah during a press conference after the High Court sentenced former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to 15 years' jail and imposed a total fine of RM11.4 billion after finding him guilty on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3 billion in funds linked to 1MDB. - Bernama photo
PUTRAJAYA – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, described the High Court’s guilty verdict in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case as the most unprecedented loss of his nearly 50-year legal career.
“This is probably the first case in my almost 50 years in the law where I lost every single point. There isn’t even a small point that I won, zero.
“If this were football, they scored 100 goals and we scored zero. It’s a perfect result for the prosecution,” he said.
However, he said he was confident that the case would be re-examined at the appellate level.
Earlier, the High Court sentenced Najib to 15 years' jail and imposed a total fine of RM11.4 billion after finding him guilty on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3 billion in funds linked to 1MDB.
The verdict was handed down by judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who previously presided over the 1MDB trial at the High Court. He has since been elevated to the Federal Court.
“Today, as we expected, the decision was delivered on whether Najib was to be found guilty on the charges preferred against him and what kind of sentence he would receive if convicted.
“Although we are extremely disappointed, we are not surprised because we had anticipated this from the beginning,” Shafee told reporters in a press conference after the ruling.
Shafee said the defence team was now focused on the appeal process and would move swiftly to challenge the verdict.
He said the defence will be filing an appeal against the decision at the Court of Appeal on Monday.
He said while he was disappointed with the outcome of the decision, the defence was motivated to do better in the appeal.
“I am looking forward to this case going to the Court of Appeal because every single point dealt with by the judge was handled in a manner where our cross-examination of witnesses and our defence were not examined by the judge.
"I can say this with all clarity,” he added.
For the four charges of abuse of power, the court sentenced Najib to 15 years’ imprisonment on each count and imposed a total fine of RM11.4 billion, in default 40 years’ imprisonment.
Najib was also sentenced to five years’ jail on each of the 21 money laundering charges and no fine was imposed.
The 72-year-old former prime minister will serve only 15 years in prison, as the judge ordered all jail sentences to run concurrently.
The judge also ruled that the sentence will only take effect after Najib completes his six-year prison term in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case involving the misappropriation of RM42 million, which ends on Aug 23, 2028.
Sequerah meted out the sentence after taking into consideration the mitigating factors presented by the defence, the prosecution and the accused, as well as public interest.
Today's proceedings started at 9.15am and concluded at 9pm, spanning a total of 11 hours and 45 minutes after a full day of submissions, arguments and deliberations in court.
Najib, who was clad in a blue suit, appeared calm throughout the proceedings. His family members and supporters were also present in court.
PUTRAJAYA – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, described the High Court’s guilty verdict in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case as the most unprecedented loss of his nearly 50-year legal career.
“This is probably the first case in my almost 50 years in the law where I lost every single point. There isn’t even a small point that I won, zero.
“If this were football, they scored 100 goals and we scored zero. It’s a perfect result for the prosecution,” he said.
However, he said he was confident that the case would be re-examined at the appellate level.
Earlier, the High Court sentenced Najib to 15 years' jail and imposed a total fine of RM11.4 billion after finding him guilty on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3 billion in funds linked to 1MDB.
The verdict was handed down by judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who previously presided over the 1MDB trial at the High Court. He has since been elevated to the Federal Court.
“Today, as we expected, the decision was delivered on whether Najib was to be found guilty on the charges preferred against him and what kind of sentence he would receive if convicted.
“Although we are extremely disappointed, we are not surprised because we had anticipated this from the beginning,” Shafee told reporters in a press conference after the ruling.
Shafee said the defence team was now focused on the appeal process and would move swiftly to challenge the verdict.
He said the defence will be filing an appeal against the decision at the Court of Appeal on Monday.
He said while he was disappointed with the outcome of the decision, the defence was motivated to do better in the appeal.
“I am looking forward to this case going to the Court of Appeal because every single point dealt with by the judge was handled in a manner where our cross-examination of witnesses and our defence were not examined by the judge.
"I can say this with all clarity,” he added.
For the four charges of abuse of power, the court sentenced Najib to 15 years’ imprisonment on each count and imposed a total fine of RM11.4 billion, in default 40 years’ imprisonment.
Najib was also sentenced to five years’ jail on each of the 21 money laundering charges and no fine was imposed.
The 72-year-old former prime minister will serve only 15 years in prison, as the judge ordered all jail sentences to run concurrently.
The judge also ruled that the sentence will only take effect after Najib completes his six-year prison term in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case involving the misappropriation of RM42 million, which ends on Aug 23, 2028.
Sequerah meted out the sentence after taking into consideration the mitigating factors presented by the defence, the prosecution and the accused, as well as public interest.
Today's proceedings started at 9.15am and concluded at 9pm, spanning a total of 11 hours and 45 minutes after a full day of submissions, arguments and deliberations in court.
Najib, who was clad in a blue suit, appeared calm throughout the proceedings. His family members and supporters were also present in court.
no need to put on a show, we know you're not dejected, eventually you will still laugh all the way to the bank regardless of the result, just keep on giving him hope
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