Solar project: Bid to transfer Rosmah aide's case to be heard in January 2019

The application to transfer the graft case of Rizal Mansor, the former aide of Rosmah Mansor, to the Kuala Lumpur High Court will be heard next month.

Rizal, along with Rosmah, who is the wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, was charged last month in relation to a solar hybrid project to provide electricity for 369 rural schools in Sarawak in 2016.

Rizal's defense counsel, Ridha Abdah Subri told Justice Rozina Ayob of the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today that the application to have the case transferred had been filed on Dec 5.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, meanwhile, stated that he had no objection to the application.

Justice Rozina Ayob set the next case mention for Jan 10, next year.

Ahmad Akram had earlier stated that after Rizal's case is transferred to the High Court, the prosecution would apply for it to be heard together with the case involving Rosmah.

Rizal is facing four charges in relation to the case. In the first charge, he is accused of soliciting RM187,500,000, or 15 percent of the contract value, on Rosmah's behalf from the managing director of the company eventually awarded the project.

In the second charge, Rizal is accused of receiving an RM5 million bribe on Rosmah's behalf, while the third charge involved him allegedly receiving RM500,000 for himself.

The final charge pertained to allegations that he attempted to solicit RM25 million from the managing director of the same company.

He claimed trial to all the charges, which were made under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.

The offences are punishable under Section 24 of the same act, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. - Mkini