KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was today accused of going on a witch hunt against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor by selectively prosecuting her in a corruption case involving a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.
Her lawyer, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, accused the graft busters of malicious prosecution and said that the MACC had been used by those who want to "fix up" Rosmah.
"The charges against Rosmah are nothing but malicious prosecution... it is nothing but a witch hunt.
"It is all done with the ill intention of maligning and fixing her up," he said when cross examining MACC Investigating Officer (IO) Noornabilah Mohd Aziman.
However, the 30-year old key prosecution witness in the trial denied this, and disagreed that the MACC had targeted only Rosmah in the case.
She denied that the MACC only had Rosmah in its crosshairs, as others, especially her former special aide Datuk Rizal Mansor, were also investigated for seeking bribes from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, the company which was awarded the project.
On the prosecution's decision to drop charges against Rizal earlier this year, Noornabilah said it was beyond her knowledge if any plea bargain arrangement had been reached by the prosecution with him.
To another question on why the MACC had raided Rosmah's house even before an official report against her had been lodged in connection with the case, Noornabilah said there was nothing unusual about it, as investigations were already ongoing.
Earlier, Akberdin was almost reduced to pulling his hair in despair when Noornabilah kept asking him to repeat his questions despite his best attempts to make himself clear.
At some points he was forced to repeat his questions three to four times when Noornabilah kept saying "boleh ulang soalan?" (please repeat the question), "saya tak ingat" (I cannot remember) or "saya tak tahu" (I don't know) to everything he asked.
Her answers often left Akberdin gritting his teeth in frustration, but he composed himself and rephrased his questions for her.
Noornabilah is the final prosecution witness taking the stand in the case against Rosmah. She completed her witness statement yesterday and is being cross examined by the defence team today.
Akberdin started his cross examination by asking the MACC officer about her qualifications, to which Noornabilah said she held a Diploma in Accountancy and joined the Commission as an IO in 2013.
She was later queried on her investigations concerning the solar hybrid project which was awarded to Jepak Holdings.
Akberdin asked her about investigations involving another individual who had also allegedly sought bribes from the company.
However, Noornabilah insisted that she was not involved in the investigations of any other individual as her case only concerned Rosmah.
Rosmah is on trial for soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsuddin.
The bribes were allegedly received as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the project for 369 schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah was accused of committing the offences between Jan 2016 and Sept 2017.
The trial before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues. - NST
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