The corruption trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor, involving alleged misappropriation of funds for the supply and installation of solar energy at 369 rural schools in Sarawak continues today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
Major public attention is also expected on the second day of Rosmah Mansor's corruption trial today in relation to the supply and installation of solar energy at 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
This can be seen from her attendance at the hearing yesterday, following her no-show on the first day of hearing on Monday due to multiple medical conditions.
The trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's wife, over three counts of graft involving hundreds of millions of ringgit, is expected to resume before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan around 10am this morning.
The first day of the trial yesterday began with Rosmah's defence counsel Jagjit Singh complaining to the court about MACC's alleged intimidation in its probe on the doctor who certified that the accused was not fit to attend trial on Monday.
Then in the prosecution's opening statement yesterday, lead DPP and former federal court judge Gopal Sri Ram described Rosmah as having wielded considerable influence due to her overbearing nature, despite having no official positions.
Yesterday's hearing saw three prosecution witnesses taking the stand, with the court hearing testimony from Maybank officer Azimah Aziz, on how then Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin had withdrawn a total RM6.5 million in bundles of RM100 notes, between Dec 20, 2016 and Sept 7, 2017.
These sums were allegedly received by Rosmah as bribes in relation to two of her three graft charges.
Earlier in proceedings yesterday, first prosecution witness Huzairi Zainal Abidin, who is an officer with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), testified that controversial First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division was established on mere verbal instruction.
On Nov 15, 2018, Rosmah had pleaded not guilty to two counts of soliciting RM187.5 million and receiving RM1.5 million for projects to provide solar energy to rural schools in Sarawak.
On the first count, she was charged with dishonestly soliciting for herself, made through her former special officer Rizal Mansor, a gratification, to the amount of RM187,500,000, which is 15 percent of the value of the contract for the solar project, from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
It was as an inducement to help 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 RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation with the Education Ministry.
On the second count, Rosmah was charged with dishonestly for receiving RM1,500,000 from Saidi for the same purpose at No 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur on Sept 7, 2017.
She was charged under section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act and faces imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification of RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
On April 10, 2019, Rosmah was charged again in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur with accepting RM5 million from Saidi through Rizal for helping Jepak Holdings to secure the same project at the same place in Jalan Langgak Duta.
[More to follow] - Mkini
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