Prosecution’s appeal in Rosmah’s fresh evidence bid still pending, court told

The High Court today set Jan 14 next year for further case management in proceedings to record fresh evidence for use in Rosmah Mansor’s appeal against her conviction in the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project corruption case.

Judge Aslam Zainuddin fixed the date after being informed that the prosecution’s appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision allowing Rosmah to introduce the additional evidence was still pending at the Federal Court.

Rosmah’s lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader told the court that the Court of Appeal’s grounds of judgment had yet to be made available.

He said the appellate court fixed Nov 25 for case management to update the status of the matter, with another mention scheduled for Dec 3.

Deputy public prosecutor Mustaffa P Kunyalam confirmed that the prosecution was also awaiting the appeals court’s grounds of judgment before taking the next step in the appeal.

On Sept 1, the Court of Appeal allowed Rosmah’s application to adduce additional evidence in her appeal against her conviction and sentence in the solar hybrid project corruption case.

The additional evidence involved a police report and a statutory declaration by witness Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, who allegedly claimed he was pressured by the prosecution during the trial.

The prosecution filed an appeal at the Federal Court on Sept 4 to challenge the decision.

On Sept 17, the Court of Appeal granted the prosecution’s application for a stay of the order allowing the additional evidence to be recorded pending the disposal of its appeal at the Federal Court.

On Sept 1, 2022, Rosmah was convicted of three corruption charges involving the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

She was found guilty of soliciting RM187.5 million and receiving RM6.5 million in bribes from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide, Rizal Mansor.

The gratification was an inducement to help Jepak Holdings secure the project from the education ministry.

Rosmah was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on each charge, to run concurrently, and fined RM970 million.

She was granted a stay of execution pending the disposal of her appeal against the conviction and sentence.