NAJIB Razak’s bathroom break caused the court to stand down for 10 minutes today.

The former prime minister walked out of the courtroom without informing his legal team when counsel Harvinderjit Singh was giving his oral submission to judge Zabariah Mohd Yusof, who chaired a three-man Court of Appeal bench.

Zabariah, upon noticing that Najib was not present, interrupted Harvinderjit’s submission to ask where his client was.

Harvinderjit said he would check, and the judge ordered the court to stand down.

When proceedings resumed, lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah apologised to the bench on behalf of Najib, saying his client was not aware he was supposed to inform the bench if he needed to leave the courtroom.

“We apologise. Najib did not realise (he needed to inform the court).”

He said Najib was trying to be polite and not interrupt proceedings.

“He did not want to interrupt proceedings, he was just being polite by going quietly… he did not know that he is not supposed to leave (without permission).”

The court is hearing Najib’s four appeals in relation to his SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

He is facing seven charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering, involving RM42 million in SRC International funds. – March 15, 2019.