Shafee Abdullah made the request during today’s High Court proceeding, asking that the testimony of former Treasury deputy secretary-general Siti Zauyah Desa be withdrawn due to her non-committal answers and inability to verify the authenticity of certain documents.
“We are not going anywhere,” he said, adding that this was the “first time” in his 46 years of legal practice that he had encountered such an “uncooperative witness”.
Earlier, Shafee challenged Siti Zauyah on the issue of whether the finance ministry had the authority to require 25% director representation in 1MDB.
“Does this privilege extend to other MoF Inc (Minister of Finance Inc) companies?” he asked.
To that, Siti Zauyah said she could not answer the question because it involved legal matters.
Shafee then pointed out that her answers contradicted the contents of the witness statement she had tendered in court, noting that the document had been drafted in a “wonderful” manner.
Siti Zauyah again said that she could not answer questions related to legal matters.
“I would refer legal matters to the Treasury’s solicitor,” she said.
Shafee then remarked: “I don’t know why she was called.”
Shafee: Was it you who drafted your witness statement (for this proceeding)?
Siti Zauyah: It was drafted by two officers from the Treasury.
The witness told the court that she was given her witness statement at the eleventh hour before she came to court, adding that she “did not have the privilege of reading it”.
“It was drafted by officers (without) my presence,” she said.
Shafee said he would speak to the prosecution on the defence’s request to remove Siti Zauyah.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges for abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
He was brought to court today from Kajang Prison, where he was sent on Tuesday after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and sentence on seven charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
The hearing before High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.