Solar Case: Rosmah Unwell, Appeal To Recuse Judge Postponed To May 15
PUTRAJAYA, March 5 (Bernama) -- The hearing of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s appeal to recuse Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan from hearing or making a decision on her corruption case, involving the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project, has been postponed to May 15, after she fell ill.
A three-member Court of Appeal panel, led by Justice Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, granted the postponement after Rosmah’s lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh informed the court that his 73-year-old client had sought treatment at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
“Since this appeal is related to a criminal case, Rosmah is required to be present in court. Therefore, the postponement is granted,” said Justice Ahmad Zaidi, who presided alongside Justices Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin.
Earlier, Jagjit said Rosmah had appeared in court in the morning, but was rushed to hospital after experiencing dizziness, in addition to suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes.
“Therefore, we request that today’s proceedings be postponed,” said the lawyer, who is handling the case alongside Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, Azrul Zulkifli Stork, and Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin.
Deputy public prosecutor K. Mangai did not object to the postponement.
Rosmah was seen entering the courtroom earlier but left shortly before proceedings began.
Today’s hearing was initially set for Rosmah’s appeal against the decision of High Court Judge Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan (now a Court of Appeal Judge), who had sentenced her to 10 years in prison and fined her RM970 million, after finding her guilty of three corruption charges, related to the hybrid solar project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
When asked by Justice Ahmad Zaidi about the implications if the appeal were allowed, Rosmah’s lawyer Akberdin said that the case would be retried before a different judge.
On Sept 1, 2022, Judge Mohamed Zaini found Rosmah guilty of three corruption charges linked to the hybrid solar project, and sentenced her to 10 years in prison and a RM970 million fine.
The court also ruled that she would face an additional 30 years in jail if she failed to pay the fine. However, the High Court granted a stay of execution for both the prison sentence and the fine, pending her appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Rosmah was charged with one count of soliciting RM187.5 million, and two counts of receiving bribes, totalling RM6.5 million, from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director, Saidi Abang Samsudin.
-- BERNAMA
