HUSNI THREATENED NAJIB – OR THREATENED TO EXPOSE THE OTHER 99% OF NAJIB’S 1MDB SHENANIGANS? IN DAMAGE CONTROL MODE, ‘HOTSHOT’ LAWYER SHAFEE AGAIN TRYING TO CONFUSE REPORTERS IN BID TO TARNISH HUSNI’S CREDIBILITY?

Defence may call ex-cabinet minister to testify on text message threatening Najib

4.30pm – The defence may call a former cabinet minister to testify over a text message in 2016 that purportedly threatened to expose then former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, says lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

The text message was allegedly sent by the former second finance minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.

“If necessary, we will call the witness. But I’m happy enough he (Husni) said he can’t remember.

Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in court

“If he didn’t do it, how come he said he couldn’t remember. This is serious, how come you cannot remember,” he tells reporters during a press conference at the lobby of Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex.

During the defence’s cross-examination on Husni earlier, Shafee had brought up about the text message in his questioning, asking Husni if he remembers sending the threat to expose Najib.

The message, however, did not specify what were the matters that the sender had threatened to speak about, but rather vaguely suggesting that the sender had only “opened his mouth for one percent”, and that he can do more.

To this, Husni had said that he did not remember.

Husni’s testimony should be seen from context of his motivation against Najib, says lawyer

4.20pm – Lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah tells members of the media that testimony by prosecution’s witness Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah must be viewed from the context of his motivation to implicate the former prime minister.

During a press conference held at the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex, Shafee says it had been established that Husni was upset with Najib over the latter’s intention to transfer him out of the Finance Ministry, which led to Husni resigning from the cabinet in 2016.

The lawyer says Husni was also of the impression that Najib is behind sexual harassment report lodged by Husni’s female staff and leak of the minutes of an Economic Action Council meeting to blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, which showed that Husni’s son Khalid was present in the meeting.

“When a witness gives testimony, we have to know if it is credible. It is very credible when an independent witness has nothing to gain.

“But if you have the motive to implicate Najib, and we have shown three motives, the judge must view his testimony from this context,” Shafee says.

MKINI