ROSMAH Mansor will know her fate tomorrow as the Kuala Lumpur High Court is set to deliver the verdict in her corruption trial involving a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid system project for rural schools in Sarawak.

The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak could potentially face the same fate as her husband, who is currently serving time in Kajang Prison after the Federal Court quashed his appeal in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

In the solar project case, Rosmah faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million 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 between March and April 2016.

She is also facing two counts of receiving RM1.5 million and RM5 million at the PM’s official residence and then later at her Jalan Langgak Duta private residence in Kuala Lumpur between December 2016 and September 2017.

If found guilty, Rosmah faces up to 20 years in jail and a fine of five times the amount received or solicited under section 24(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) Act 2009.

She is represented by Jagjit Singh, along with Akberdin Abdul Kader and Azrul Zulkifli Stork, while the prosecution is led by Gopal Sri Ram.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan is presiding over the case and will read his judgment tomorrow.

The court case started in February 2020 and ended on February 23 this year, after 44 days of trial.

A total of 23 prosecution witnesses took the stand while only two defence witnesses were called in.

Rosmah was ordered to enter her defence on February 21 after Zaini ruled that the prosecution had proven a prima facie case.

Among the witnesses who testified for the prosecution were former education minister Mahdzir Khalid, the ministry’s secretary-general Dr Madinah Mohamad, her successor Alias Ahmad, as well as Saidi and his former business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah.

The star witness of the trial was, however, her then aide Rizal Mansor.

Rizal, initially a co-defendant in the case, was acquitted when the charges against him were withdrawn on January 8, 2020 before the start of her trial.

The trial was riddled with delays due to Rosmah’s ill health while several witnesses and her own lawyers contracted Covid-19.

Rosmah had been diagnosed with cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis for both knees, as well as chronic adrenal insufficiency during the trial.

Besides delays, a leaked alleged judgment was also published by the portal Malaysia Today, run by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.

Early last week, there was another leak – the Federal Court ruling in Najib’s SRC International appeal – ahead of the decision by the apex court last Wednesday.

First of two trials

The solar trial is the first of two trials faced by Rosmah.

She was also charged with 17 counts of money laundering involving RM7.1 million allegedly transferred into her personal bank account between 2013 and 2017.

The 17 charges are framed under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLA) 2001 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFA) 2001.

Under the first eight charges, she is accused of being involved in money laundering by directly engaging in a transaction involving proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to RM1.1 million, which was deposited into her account.

For the ninth to the 12th charges, Rosmah is alleged to have directly engaged in 227 transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activities totalling RM6 million that was deposited into the same account.

On the 13th to 17th counts, Rosmah is accused of engaging in money laundering by failing to file a return on the sum that was deposited into her account, as required under the Income Tax Act 1967. – August 31, 2022.