Rosmah's bid to adduce new evidence: Further case management on Jan 14

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has fixed Jan 14 next year for further case management of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's application to adduce additional evidence in her RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project corruption case.

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

Rosmah's lawyer, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, told the court that the Court of Appeal's grounds of judgment had yet to be made available for the Federal Court to complete the appeal records.

Akberdin said the appellate court had fixed Nov 25 for case management to update the status of the matter, while another mention was scheduled for Dec 3.

"We are still not ready," he said, requesting more time to allow the Federal Court proceedings to be dealt with first.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam also confirmed that the prosecution was still waiting for the grounds of judgment.

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.

A three-member bench chaired by Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli ordered that the additional evidence from prosecution witness Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah be recorded before a High Court judge.

The additional evidence involved a police report and a statutory declaration by Rayyan, who alleged that he had been pressured by the prosecution during the trial.

However, 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 to stay 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, Datuk Rizal Mansor.

The gratification was an inducement to help Jepak Holdings secure the project from the Education Ministry.

Rosmah was sentenced to 10 years in jail 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.