WITH just hours to go before former first lady Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor knows her fate whether she will walk free or be convicted on three corruption charges relating to the RM1.25 bil solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin penned the likely outcome poetically in his latest Facebook posting:
“Husband dumps a lawyer. Already gone to jail. Wife asks to remove judge and prosecutor. May also end up in jail.”
Recall that amid concerns that the defendants may resort to absenteeism via sick leave to delay the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s verdict, the-70-year old wife of convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had filed an eleventh hour application to recuse Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan from hearing or making a decision on the case.
The application was filed Tuesday (Aug 30) on the grounds of the purported leaked judgment of her case which was prepared by another party that was viralled by the mass and electronic media last Aug 26. This is probably the first agenda to be dealt with by the court today.
Framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, the charges against Rosmah provide for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000 – whichever is higher – upon conviction.
She faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 mil and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 mil from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
The case was conducted by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram while lawyers Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader and Datuk Jagjit Singh represented Rosmah.
As per the chronology of events provided by Bernama, Rosmah was on Feb 18, 2021 ordered to enter her defence on the three charges after the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.
The defence closed its case last Feb 23 (thus year) after calling two witnesses namely the accused herself and former director of the First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division Datuk Seri Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod.
Najib was supposed to give evidence as the third defence witness. However, on Jan 10, the defence informed the court that they would not be calling the ex-premier who is now serving his 12 year-jail sentence at the Kajang Prison to testify.
The prosecution had on Dec 11, 2020 wrapped up its case against Rosmah after calling 23 witnesses in the trial which started on Feb 5 the same year. – Sept 1, 2022
Main pic credit: theedgemarkets.com
