THE Court of Appeal has fixed next Monday to hear Rosmah Mansor’s application to stay her ongoing corruption trial linked to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

This is pending the disposal of her related appeal.

Lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader, who is representing Rosmah, and deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, when contacted, confirmed the matter.

Akberdin, meanwhile, said the court fixed October 13 for another case management for Rosmah’s appeals against the high court’s decision to dismiss her application to nullify her corruption trial over the Sarawak schools solar hybrid project and to disqualify Gopal Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor.

The case management for the stay and the appeals came up before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mohd Khairi Haron today.

Last Friday, Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, lost her bid in the high court to nullify her corruption trial as well as to remove Sri Ram as lead prosecutor.

In dismissing both of Rosmah’s applications, high court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said the authorisation given by the then attorney-general Tommy Thomas to Sri Ram to conduct criminal prosecution in Rosmah’s case was without doubt validly done under Section 376(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code in his capacity as the public prosecutor.

He said Thomas had clearly stated that he had, after appointing Sri Ram to lead the prosecution in 1Malaysia Development Bhd cases, subsequently authorised him (Sri Ram) to conduct the prosecution for the criminal cases against the applicant (Rosmah).

Rosmah filed the two applications at the high court on May 6 this year.

Rosmah is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director Saidi Abang Samsuddin through her former special officer Rizal Mansor.

It was allegedly an inducement to help Jepak Holdings secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth RM1.25 billion, through direct negotiations from the Education Ministry.

She was accused of dishonestly soliciting for herself, through Rizal at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra, Kuala Lumpur between March and April 2016.

In the second charge, Rosmah was alleged to have dishonestly received for herself RM1.5 million from Saidi for the same purpose at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta on September 7, 2017.

Rosmah is also facing a third charge of accepting gratification of RM5 million from Saidi through Rizal for helping Jepak Holdings to secure the same project on December 20, 2016, at Seri Perdana residence in Putrajaya between January 2016 and September 2017.

On February 18 this year, the high court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence on all three corruption charges.

She is scheduled to take the stand when the defence begins its case next Tuesday. – Bernama, September 28, 2021.