Shafee recounts how his 'playful guard dog' delayed Najib's case

Senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah recounted how his guard dog caused the postponement of a pre-trial hearing involving his client, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“It was a young guard dog in training, which is only 10-months-old but bigger than an adult dog. I have several dogs in my house and office compound.

“In my office, I have two Belgian Malinois. If you come uninvited, it would take your hand away. Very fierce guard dogs,” he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Shafee said in his house, there are two guard dogs, and it was the younger of the two which caused him to suffer soft tissue damage.

“This one (the young dog still in training) was playful and tried to play with me, and I fell back.

“It was not caused by him (the dog), I got careless and became injured,” he added.

Yesterday, Shafee (photo) courted ridicule when he told the Court of Appeal that he had fractured his hand because his “pet dog jumped on him”.

This led the court to postpone its hearing on matters related to the SRC International charges against Najib to Friday, much to the disappointment of Attorney-General Tommy Thomas.

Meanwhile, Shafee clarified it was not him who asked that the matter be deferred to Friday, but it was the court that fixed the date.

“I thought the case would continue today, but the court thought it would be better to resume on Friday as Thomas could not do it today.

“I did not ask for Friday. I asked for today so they (doctors) can mend my hand,” he added.

Shafee also addressed questions surrounding his appearance at the Shah Alam court for another matter yesterday morning.

The lawyer said when he was attending this case, the pain in his hand increased.

Shafee claimed that he could not sleep or study his case notes the night before when the swelling worsened.

“The doctor thought it was broken. But the X-ray showed I got soft tissue damage. It swelled as a result. It gives me pain that is quite excruciating,” he added.

When he arrived at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, Shafee said the swelling on his hand had become the size of a “tennis ball”.

“I thought of rushing to the Putrajaya hospital during the break... My associate was shocked by the swelling and suggested I go straight away and check,” he added. - Mkini