ROSMAH Mansor left her husband Najib Razak’s SRC International Sdn Bhd trial after the prosecution objected to her being in the court’s public gallery today.

Clad in a red baju kurung, Rosmah made her first appearance at the former prime minister’s trial, which started in April. She was seated with her lawyer, K. Kumaraendran, when the proceedings began shortly after 9.30am.

Ad hoc prosecutor V. Sithambaram interrupted lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s cross-examination of the trial’s 39th witness, former SRC International chairman Ismee Ismail, to object to Rosmah’s presence.

He said Rosmah already had her statement taken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and could be called in as a witness.

“As such, she should not be allowed to (be present for) the hearing.”

Before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali could make a ruling, Rosmah headed for the exit, accompanied by Kumaraendran.

She muttered under her breath as she left the courtroom.

Rosmah promptly made her way to the lobby and left in a black Proton Perdana.

She was scheduled to appear before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan for case mention of her money-laundering and corruption trials, set to begin next year.

In the SRC International trial, prosecutors have called 39 witnesses so far.

Sithambaram previously told the press that “about 40 more” witnesses may be called to the stand. The defence has not revealed how many witnesses it intends to call.

The trial will continue until August 15.

Najib faces seven criminal charges, including three counts of money-laundering, related to RM42 million that made its way into his personal bank accounts from the government entity in 2014 and 2015.

The defence has argued that Najib was not fully aware of transactions made under his name, and was manipulated by rogue bankers and SRC International officers. – June 18, 2019.