Shafee to court: Client charged, lawyers not told

Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has complained to the Kuala Lumpur magistrate's court that his Australian client was charged with drug trafficking without the knowledge of his lawyers or the Australian High Commission.

Dominic Jude Bird, 32, stands accused of trafficking 167.8g of methamphethamine at the White Coffee café, 33 Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur, about 4.15pm on March 1, 2012.

He is also charged with consuming the drug at the Criminal Investigation Department in the Dang Wangi police station about 12.10am the next day.

Bird's case created headlines in Australia when he was charged in the morning of March 9 without the knowledge of his legal team and Australian High Commission. The diplomatic mission was only informed that afternoon.

Shafee (left) complained to magistrate Erry Shahriman Noor Aripin today that this was unbecoming of the senior investigating officer, as he and three other lawyers had appeared for Bird during the remand proceedings the previous day.

"The police did not allow the legal team to meet our client although, by right, lawyers have the right to spend two hours each day during remand to see the accused person,” Shafee told the court.

“On March 8, we were told that the police needed more time to investigate the case. But Bird was taken to court the next day to be charged, without the knowledge of the lawyers and the commission.”

He said Bird had previously complained about being assaulted while under remand and that this has been recorded by another magistrate.

".... up to this morning, we had yet to get (a copy of) the charge sheet. It is only after this case was brought up this morning that a copy ... was handed to us," he said.

Chief Inspector Muhammad Sapri Yaakub appeared for the prosecution.

Erry Shariman has transferred the case to the Kuala Lumpur High Court for mention.