THE prosecution today rested its case in Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial involving the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak after 33 days of trial.

The prosecution concluded its case after the defence re-called and cross-examined former education minister Mahdzir Khalid, who was the prosecution’s fifth witness in this trial.

Mahdzir was briefly questioned by the Rosmah’s lawyers on matter pertaining to a few properties, his letter to then prime minister Najib Razak, who was also the then finance minister, to grant special exclusions to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, the contractors for the solar project, and his knowledge on the alteration and falsification of contract by the aforementioned company, before being released from the stands.

Rosmah is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million from Jepak Holdings’ managing director Saidi Abang Samsuddin as inducement to help the company secure the solar hybrid project in Sarawak.

She is also accused of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Saidi in 2016 and 2017.

Jagjit Singh and Akberdin Abdul Kadir represented Rosmah, while the prosecution was led by Gopal Sri Ram.

In concluding the case, Sri Ram also said that the prosecution would offer 10 witnesses to the defence should the defence be called.

Rosmah’s husband, Najib was among the 10 in the list.

High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan fixed December 28, 2020 and January 4, 2021 to hear the submission form defence and prosecution respectively.

Zaini also set February 10, 2021 as the date for oral clarification for both prosecution and defence.

Audio recordings not accepted as evidence

Besides this, earlier today, the court dismissed the prosecution’s application to submit audio recording and transcripts of phone calls between Rosmah and her husband as evidence.

Upon listening to arguments from Sri Ram and counter-arguments from Akberdin on whether the audio should be admitted as evidence, Zaini ruled that he was “disinclined” to admit the aforementioned clips and transcripts as evidence.

“I’m unable to provide brief ground due to time constraints.

“However, I’m disinclined to admit the audio recording and transcripts as evidence,” said Zaini.

The prosecution said it wanted to use the audio recording, which was released by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in January, as proof of Rosmah’s “overbearing nature”.

The MACC released nine audio clips, which were handed over by a whistle-blower, involving Najib and others, which the graft-buster said was evidence of “abuse of power and fabrication of false evidence” in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

During the prosecution’s opening statement in the trial, Sri Ram had described the 69-year-old accused as being “overbearing”, a trait she had used to “wield considerable influence”, and said she had placed herself in a position where she was able to influence decisions in the public sphere.

Rosmah’s lawyers previously requested the judge to object to the audio clips being admitted as evidence, arguing they amounted to “character assassination”. – December 11, 2020.