THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has allowed the prosecution’s application to transfer Rosmah Mansor’s RM5 million bribery case.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allowed the transfer from the sessions court as Rosmah’s other cases have already been transferred to the high court, and the defence did not object to the application.

He said the case has generated public interest, adding that the transfer is to expedite justice.

Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, was seated in the dock during today’s proceedings, dressed in a floral-print white baju kurung and veil.

She was represented by lawyer Jagjit Singh Akberdin Abdul Kader, while deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib led the prosecution.

On Tuesday, Rosmah was ordered to appear at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 24 for case management for her graft trial. She allegedly received bribes totalling RM5 million in a solar project for rural schools in Sarawak.

Sessions court judge Azura Alwi had dismissed an application for exemption, where the defence argued that the proceedings were a mere formality and did not require Rosmah’s presence.

On May 10, Rosmah pleaded not guilty at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to receiving the RM5 million in bribes from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd as a reward for helping obtain the solar project three years ago.

She was charged with receiving the money from Saidi Abang Samsudin, 60, through Rizal Mansor, 45, as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings obtain the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project, and the maintenance and operation of genset/diesel at 369 rural schools, worth RM1.25 billion, via direct negotiations with the Education Ministry.

She allegedly committed the offence at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on December 20, 2016.

The charge, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Sub-section 24(1) of the same act, provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. – June 28, 2019.