PETALING JAYA: Ongoing 1MDB-related trials and the appeal by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on her corruption conviction in the solar hybrid case will be handled by full-time deputy public prosecutors (DPPs), says Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun (pic).
"The present team will handle the prosecution," said Idrus when contacted by The Star on Monday (Jan 30) evening.
Idrus was responding to speculations that a private law firm will be replacing former Federal Court judge and lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who passed away on Sunday (Jan 29).
Previously, Sri Ram had worked together with DPPs from the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) in two 1MDB-related trials and Rosmah’s appeal on her corruption conviction.
He was appointed as lead prosecutor by then the attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas in 2018.
Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak, 70, is on trial for 25 charges in total - four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil; and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.
The current prosecution team in 1MDB is led by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib.
When met at the Kuala Lumpur Court complex earlier Monday (Jan 30) after the 1MDB proceedings ended, DPP Ahmad Akram confirmed that he was leading the prosecution in the case for the time being but refused to comment further.
Sri Ram was also lead prosecutor in another 1MDB audit tampering trial involving Najib and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy.
On March 3, a ruling will be delivered on whether Najib and Arul would have to enter their defence.
Rosmah was found guilty in September last year, on three corruption charges in connection with a RM1.25bil project to provide solar hybrid energy to 369 schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah was appealing to disqualify High Court judge Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan as the trial judge and to set aside her conviction and sentence.
Sri Ram was also tasked with prosecuting Rosmah, who was facing 12 money laundering charges worth RM7mil and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board. - Star
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