Judge Suzana Husin made the order after the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), represented by deputy public prosecutors Ishak Yusof and Mohd Ashron Adrin Kamarul, told the court they accepted the lawyer’s representation.

Hafarizam agreed to pay a compound, amounting RM590,587.26. It is understood that he settled the sum yesterday.

The Umno legal adviser was accused of receiving the money from Najib Razak’s bank account in 2014 and 2015. He represented the former prime minister in his civil cases.

Fellow lawyers Hasnal Rezua Merican, M Reza Hassan, Wan Azmir Wan Majid and Amin Othman represented Hafarizam, while lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali held a watching brief for the Bar Council.

In a statement later, Hafarizam said he had been vindicated from the money laundering case, which he described as “selective prosecution”.

“The funds which I am accused of laundering were not meant for my benefit or my former firm, Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak.

“I was only holding the said funds, in a capacity as a stakeholder for the client, and to pay them to third parties based on the client’s instruction.

“Such transactions are normal for all lawyers.” .

Hafarizam pointed out that three lawyers were called to testify in Najib’s SRC International trial previously, and they admitted the money was deposited into their firms’ clients accounts.

“My charges will also give an implication to other Bar members who have to deal with clients’ money on a daily basis,” he said.
Hafarizam’s trial was initially scheduled to begin on Aug 16.

Besides Hafarizam, Najib’s lead counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, was also slapped with two counts of money laundering for allegedly receiving RM9.5 million from Najib.