KUALA LUMPUR: "We have been taken by surprise. What he testified today is completely off the charts."
That was the response of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah after prosecution witness Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah finished testifying against his former boss.
Shafee said Husni's testimony required him to sit with Najib before he could proceed with the cross examination.
"I need to take full instructions from my client.
"Some of the testimony given today is almost like an angry man against my client," he said, before appealing for a whole day to be given for him to prepare.
Shafee said Husni had said many things about how he was told not to get involved in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and SRC International matters but the former finance minister II still did.
"It was like a gun was held to his head.
"The circumstances require us to take further instructions from my client before I can proceed with cross examining him," he said.
Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali subsequently agreed for the trial to continue on Thursday.
Husni, who was serving in Najib's Cabinet until he quit the post in 2016, had earlier explained at length the going-ons in the Finance Ministry when it came to matters related to 1MDB and SRC International.
Najib, 66, is facing seven counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and power abuse involving RM42 million of SRC International funds.
He faces up to 20 years jail and fine for the offences.