Judge rejects Rosmah's request to stay away from court

Rosmah Mansor (photo, above) needs to be present in court during the case management relating to her Sarawak solar hybrid project graft trial.

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur this morning turned down a request by Rosmah's counsel to excuse her from attending case management for the RM5 million case set for July 24.

Judge Azura Alwi made the decision after hearing submission by lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kadir, who asked the court if an exception can be given for Rosmah on that date.

Akberdin cited that the case management in July is only a matter of internal formality.

”If the court allows, we would like to request for my client to be given an exception from attending the next case management.

”The next date is only (for ruling) to transmit the case to the High Court. This is just a matter of internal formality. We would like to request if our client can be excused," Akberdin told the court.

Azura told the lawyer that the court requires Rosmah's presence as it involves the transfer of her case to a higher court.

The judge said she might consider if the request was only to excuse the accused from attending case management for exchange of documents between lawyers, but not when it involves the transmission of case.

Earlier, Azura set the next case management date after both Rosmah's defence team and DPP Mohd Farizul Hassan Bakri informed that the prosecution's application to transfer the case would only be heard by the High Court this Friday.

The judge also ordered both the DPPs and defence counsels to be present at her court on Friday for case mention and to brief her on the High Court application hearing.

Azura said Rosmah, however, can be excused from attending the case mention on Friday.

The wife of former premier Najib Abdul Razak was charged on April 10 for a bribery case involving the project.

She was accused of receiving RM5 million from Saidi Abang Samsudin, managing director of Jepak Holdings, via her former aide Rizal Mansor. 

Rosmah pleaded not guilty to the charge and claimed trial.

Prior to this, Rosmah had also pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court last November to soliciting RM187.5 million through Rizal, and for receiving an RM1.5 million bribe in relation to the project.

In October, she was slapped with 17 counts of money laundering involving around RM7.1 million under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. - Mkini