LAWYERS CRY FOUL OVER ‘UNFAIR TACTICS’
Prosecution handed documents on the day of proceedings, says Najib’s lead counsel
DATUK Seri Najib Razak’s legal team has cried foul over the “unfair tactics” employed by the prosecution over the former prime minister’s criminal case proceedings.
His lawyers claimed that the prosecution handed over a 355page document and Najib’s written statement on the morning of the court proceedings, despite the defence having requested for it much earlier.
Najib’s lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said this reflected the prosecution’s unfairness and lack of preparation.
Shafee said the defence had requested for the documents several times in advance.
He claimed the prosecution, instead, chose to submit the documents on the morning of the proceedings, instead of on the day he was charged (July 4).
“They did not even submit the documents in physical form. The documents came in a CD this morning in the courtroom.
“They also just handed me my client’s written statement today. This should have been given on the day he (Najib) was charged.
“They said the documents had been ready for quite a while, but I only received it today.
“This clearly show that they were not prepared.”
Shafee said because of this, he had pleaded with judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali to “go easy” on setting the trial date.
“We need to review the documents first. “My client has the right to review the evidence in order for us to make our defence later on.”
The documents are related to several charges, which Najib had claimed trial to on July 4. The charges are linked to SRC International Sdn Bhd.