Rosmah ordered to enter defence in corruption case

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has called Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to enter her defence on the three corruption charges involving a solar hybrid project in Sarawak.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan made the decision on Thursday (Feb 18) after the court found that the prosecution had proven a prima facie case against the accused.

On Nov 15,2018, Rosmah claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to two counts of soliciting RM187.5mil and receiving RM1.5mil for projects to provide solar energy to rural schools in Sarawak.

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On the first count, she was charged with dishonestly soliciting for herself, made through her former special officer Datuk Rizal Mansor, 46, a gratification of RM187.5mil, which is 15% of the value of the contract for the project, from Saidi.

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

She was charged with committing the offence at Lygon Cafe’, G-24, Ground Floor, Sunway Putra Mall, 100, Jalan Putra, Chow Kit, here between March and April 2016.

On the second count, Rosmah was charged with dishonestly receiving for herself RM1,500,000 from Saidi for the same purpose at No. 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, here on Sept 7,2017.

She was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

On April 10,2019, Rosmah was charged again in the Sessions Court here with accepting gratification of RM5mil from Saidi through Rizal for helping Jepak Holdings to secure the same project at the same place in Jalan Langgak Duta.

All the cases had been transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court for the trial which began on Feb 5,2020.