NAJIB Razak’s lawyers have called into question the credibility of former second finance minister Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, saying his testimony is not to be trusted as he has an axe to grind with the former prime minister.

Speaking to reporters after the SRC International trial adjourned for this evening, Najib’s lead counsel, Muhamamd Shafee Abdullah, said the prosecution’s 56th witness is an “angry man” because Najib had wronged him in the past.

“Husni is an angry man because he has been moved (reshuffled) to another ministry from the Ministry of Finance. I think his testimony indicates that he is angry about that,” he told reporters.

Shafee said Husni blames Najib for being the mastermind behind a sexual harassment claim against him.

“This woman in his office lodged a police report that she was sexually harassed (by Husni). She was very detailed in her report.

“I find it (his allegations) unimaginative, how can I imagine that Datuk Najib is behind this?” 

Shafee said Husni’s claim that Najib was behind the sexual harassment allegations should not hold water in court because it was merely hearsay.

He said Husni also felt slighted because of what Najib allegedly did to his son.

Husni had testified that Najib was behind personal attacks against him after he made a speech in Parliament that was critical on the management of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

The attacks allegedly started with blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin publishing the minutes of an economic council meeting.

The same was then reported by the then Umno-controlled Utusan Malaysia.

The minutes allegedly showed that Husni’s son, Khalid Ahmad, was unhappy at not obtaining a lucrative highway contract. 

Shafee told reporters that Husni’s son was sacked immediately after the economic council meeting.

“Unfortunately he blamed Najib for this. These are the facts. I’m not making a comment, I’m just stating the facts,” he said. 

When cross-examined by Shafee earlier today, Husni said he could not recall whether he made the comments, ‘I will expose him’ to a minister, sometime in 2016.

Shafee repeatedly asked Husni whether he truly could not remember, saying “only a person with dementia” would forget making threats of that nature.  

Shafee further told Husni that the defence may call a witness to testify on Husni’s alleged text message.  

Husni also claimed Najib was behind a sexual harassment report lodged by a female staff member of his (Husni’s).

The attacks stopped after Husni messaged Najib in October or November 2016.

Najib, in a text message, told Husni to “Discuss with Nazri Aziz”. 

Husni said the following day, the attacks stopped.

 Shafee said that the trial judge should review Husni’s testimony in the context which is relevant to the trial.

Husni was released from the witness stand today after taking the stand yesterday as one of the prosecution’s remaining few witnesses. – August 8, 2019.