Apex court to hear bid to disqualify Sri Ram, nullify Rosmah’s graft trial in May

 

Rosmah Mansor is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Federal Court has fixed May 27 to hear two appeals, including one to nullify Rosmah Mansor’s RM1.25 billion Sarawak schools’ solar energy project corruption trial.

The other is to disqualify former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram as ad hoc prosecutor and stay the ongoing trial in the High Court.

Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yin Tinn said today the Federal Court registry had informed them of the date recently.

Last May, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak had filed applications to remove Sri Ram and, if successful, declare the proceedings a nullity.

In September, trial judge Zaini Mazlan dismissed the applications.

Zaini said Sri Ram’s appointment under Sections 376, 377, 378 and 379 of the Criminal Procedure Code by the then attorney-general Tommy Thomas in August 2018 was valid.

He also accepted the alternative submission by the prosecution that current attorney-general Idrus Harun’s backdated appointment letter for Sri Ram, which was issued on May 21 last year, could cure any defect by Thomas.

A Court of Appeal bench last Dec 6 dismissed Rosmah’s appeal, saying that it had no jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Judge Hanipah Farikullah, who chaired a three-member bench, said the Criminal Procedure Code did not allow a criminal court to give Rosmah any declaratory relief, a civil remedy sought under the Specific Relief Act.

Rosmah, 70, is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, through her former aide Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help the company secure the solar project for rural schools in Sarawak.

She is also accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM5 million from Saidi, through Rizal, at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on Dec 20, 2016.

Rosmah is said to have received another RM1.5 million from Saidi at Jalan Langgak Duta here on Sept 7, 2017.

The defence closed its case on Feb 23 after calling two witnesses and both parties have also filed written submissions. - FMT