Rosmah maintains not guilty plea to amended charge in Sarawak solar project case

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor maintained her not guilty plea at the Sessions Court here today to an amended charge of receiving a bribe of RM5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd as an inducement to help the company to secure a solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak three years ago.

Rosmah, 68, who was wearing a jubah and a matching white scarf, maintained the plea after the amended charge was read to her before Judge Azura Alwi.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar informed the court that the prosecution wanted to submit the amended charge today.

“The amended charge is made to amend the address where the offence was allegedly committed,” he said.

For the amended charge, Rosmah was accused of receiving the bribe on December 20, 2016, at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya.

On April 10, she was originally charged with committing the offence on December 20, 2016, at No 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, here.

According to the charge, Rosmah was alleged to have corruptly accepted for herself RM5 million from one Saidi Abang Samsudin, 60, through Rizal Mansor, 45, as gratification for helping Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd to secure the project, known as  the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Deisel, a solar hybrid project for 396 rural schools in Sarawak through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry.

She was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law. 

The law provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

During the proceeding, Mohd Dusuki also informed the court that the prosecution had submitted an application to transfer the case to the High Court.

“May 28 has been set for case management at the High Court, and on the same date, the court will set the date to hear the transfer application,” he said.

Judge Azura then set June 25 for remention and to learn about the latest development of the case.

Rosmah’s defence team was led by lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader. — Bernama