Najib Razak’s defamation case over Altantuya murder claims in Tommy Thomas’s book is settled, with Thomas acknowledging no evidence links Najib to the crime.
SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s defamation lawsuit against former attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas and a publisher has been settled amicably at the High Court here.
The settlement was recorded before Judge Datuk Khadijah Idris after both parties informed the court they had reached an agreement.
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic), representing the former prime minister, said the settlement was reached by mutual agreement.
He stated that Thomas acknowledged that since the book’s publication in 2021, he was not aware of any evidence linking Najib to the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
“You can call it a win because there is no evidence as admitted by the defendants,” Muhammad Shafee told a press conference.
He added that this should put to rest all rumours involving his client.
Muhammad Shafee said Thomas maintained his statement in the book that statutory declarations from two former police officers corroborated each other.
According to Thomas, any future reprints of the book should include a clarification on the same page as the disputed passage.
“In this situation, Thomas has no objection to the withdrawal of the above civil action against him and the publisher, without any order as to costs,” Muhammad Shafee said.
He added that his client was very happy the matter was finally resolved after years of pressure.
Najib had filed the suit in 2021 over statements in Thomas’s book titled ‘My Story: Justice in the Wilderness’.
He claimed the book contained defamatory statements implying he ordered the murder of Altantuya in 2006.
Najib had sought damages and an order for the defendants to remove the defamatory statements from the book.
