Zaid blasts lawyer Shafee in tit-for-tat over Najib case

Lawyer Zaid Ibrahim has fought back against suggestions that he was incompetent in handling the case of Najib Razak, after remarks by the former prime minister's defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Zaid, whose firm was appointed to replace Shafee ahead of Najib's final appeal at the Federal Court last year, said it was the latter's incompetencies that led to a string of legal setbacks for his client in the SRC International case.

"When a lawyer talks nonsense like this and lies, I don't think he can do a good job. For you to get justice for your client, you must have some respect for truth," said Zaid.

Yesterday, Shafee who represented Najib for a judicial review application over his conviction in the SRC International case, gave scathing criticism of Zaid's team in its handling of the case. 

He also claimed that Zaid's firm was appointed despite having no experience in handling criminal law.

In his response, Zaid said there had been a sense of desperation in Najib's camp amid a series of court setbacks, and that he had then suggested that the former leader ditch Shafee.

"Shafee is a showman, he is not a good lawyer. But of course in the kingdom of the blind, he is king," Zaid said in a Facebook video.

Zaid also said he disagreed with the defence's tactic to attack judge Nazlan Ghazali over a "conflict of interest", saying the High Court judge who convicted Najib in 2020 was a person known for his integrity.

Zaid said his team had done a good job throughout the Federal Court appeal.

"We did our best in those five weeks. So it is very sad if the accusation by Shafee yesterday was supported by Najib.

"If that's the case, it's very unfortunate because we did everything for him."