THE RM1.25 billion corruption trial of Rosmah Mansor was today adjourned to May 12 to give the prosecution time to prepare additional submissions.

Both the prosecution and the defence were scheduled to present their submissions today.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan granted the prosecution’s application, made in chambers, to postpone the hearing.

“The judge has allowed our application to file additional submissions,” Poh said.

The prosecution must file the additional submissions by April 22 and the defence must reply to it, if need be, by May 12, Poh added.

The prosecution, led by lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, closed its case on December 2020 after calling 23 witnesses, which included former education minister Mahdzir Khalid and Rosmah’s aide Rizal Mansor. 

On February 18 last year, Rosmah, 70, was ordered to enter a defence on three charges after the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.

Rosmah faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5mil and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5mil from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, for help in landing a billion-ringgit government contract to outfit rural schools in Sarawak with solar equipment.

On February 23, the defence closed its case after calling two witnesses, Rosmah and former director of the First Lady of Malaysia division, Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod.

The bribes were allegedly received through Rizal as inducement and reward for helping Jepak Holdings to secure RM1.25 billion worth of contracts for the hybrid photovoltaic solar system integrated project and the maintenance and operation of diesel generator sets for 369 Sarawak rural schools. – April 5, 2022.