Hmm…this is a rather weird reason for delaying a legal proceeding.
In case you aren’t aware, our former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s second hearing for his criminal charges relating to the SRC International Sdn Bhd funds is today (12 March 2019).
However, it has been pushed to Friday (15 March 2019) because his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said that he couldn’t continue with the legal proceeding as he broke his wrist whilst playing with his dog, wrote The Malay Mail.
“My pet dog jumped on me. I am now in pain and I need to seek immediate medical attention later through an X-ray scan,” Shafee told appellate judges Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof, Datuk Lau Bee Lan and Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang whilst motioning to his left wrist.
The pain must have been very bad.
He shared that this was the first time he had experienced a broken bone. Therefore, he pleaded to the judges to delay his submission for the legal proceeding.
Source: The Malay Mail
FYI, the hearing was supposed to start on 12 February 2019 following a “stay granted” by the Court of Appeal on 11 February 2019.
Having said that, attorney general (AG) Tommy Thomas objected the decision to postpone today’s proceeding because his team is being pressured by the public to begin with Najib’s trial as soon as possible. Tommy Thomas was quoted as saying,
“Everyone wants the trial to start as early as tomorrow. There is an enormous pressure on the prosecution team… in fact, there’s a global pressure on us for the trial to start.”
“I understand the counsel has a problem but on the other hand, we are under scrutiny why the trial hasn’t begun.”
Nevertheless, Shafee suggested postponing the hearing to Friday because Tommy Thomas isn’t available on Thursday (14 March 2019). Following that, Zabariah, who led the team of judges agreed to move the hearing to Friday.
Source: FMT
Zabariah said,
“We have decided on Friday. I hope the appellant is available as we have to finish (submission) by morning itself because I have matters to attend to in the noon. Hearing is now set for 8.30am and the defence will submit first.”
The report further shared that Shafee also gestured with his hand to Najib who was seated near the docks when he left the courtroom. The ex-prime minister’s son Mohd Norashman Najib was also present during the hearing.
Well, we hope that Shafee’s wrist recovers quickly so that they can go on with the trial!
Also read: Najib’s Court Trial Could Be Broadcast Live for Entire Malaysia to See
