KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court judge in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's corruption trial involving funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MBD) had asked both prosecution and defence team to make peace over statements made to the media by the latter recently.
The drama started at the onset of the proceedings when Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, addressed the court about his recent press conference discussing the hearing on Monday.
He apologised to the court if his message during the press conference that touched on several letters from Saudi's monarch to the former prime minister was inappropriate.
However, he emphasised that the content, which he told to the group of pressmen at the court complex lobby, was accurate.
"During the press conference, I only said the prosecution did not provide us documents in this case, but we dug out and found these documents. That is how we said the prosecution failed to disclose.
"I was also only responding to questions by reporters on the monies remitted into Najib's account," he said.
Lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram said Shafee's antic was uncalled for as the defence could raise their complaints to the presiding judge.
"Does he (Shafee) expect me to do a press conference and explain the case to the media? We fight in court if there is anything," he said.
Shafee then said he would refrain from giving comments to the media.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah then asked both parties to settle the matter.
"This should be the end of the matter," he said.
Shafee during a press conference on Monday claimed that the prosecution had suppressed evidence pertaining to the trial.
The senior lawyer also distributed a copy of the said letters bearing Abdulaziz Majid Al Saud's private office's letterhead addressed to Najib's house in Jalan Langgak Duta.
He claimed the prosecution had failed to disclose/deliver to the defence the details of five other subsequent transactions, which the defence had obtained through their own investigation.
Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.