KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — The High Court here today allowed the graft cases against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and her husband Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s former special officer, Datuk Rizal Mansor, involving over a solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak to be heard together.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan made the ruling after allowing an application by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Farizul Hassan Bakri for all the cases to heard in the same court.

“The solar case facing Rosmah (on the charge of receiving RM5 million bribe) has been transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court,” said Mohd Farizul during the case management today.

Lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kadir, representing Rosmah, did not object to the prosecution’s application.

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Mohamed Zaini also allowed a joint hearing of Rosmah’s RM5 million graft case with her first graft case with Rizal, 45.

Rizal’s lawyer, Mohd Hezri Shaharil, did not object to it.

Earlier, Rosmah, 68, pleaded not guilty to accepting gratification of RM5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, 60, through Rizal, for allegedly helping the company to secure the solar hybrid project.

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She was charged with committing the offence at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya, on October 20, 2016.

The charge, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section  24(1) of the same law, was read out again to her before Mohamed Zaini after the case was transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

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.

The court set January 10, 2020, for case management of all three cases.

Last May 30, Mohamed Zaini fixed 32-day period, except on Fridays, to hear the solar case involving Rosmah and Rizal, during which the prosecution is expected to call 17 witnesses.

The dates are from February 3 to 6, February 10-13, February 7-20, March 9-12, April 6-9, April 13-16, April 20-23 and April 27-30 next year.

On Nov 15 last year, Rosmah pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to two counts of soliciting RM187.5 million and receiving RM1.5 million for projects to provide solar energy to 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

Rizal, 46, claimed trial on that same day to four counts of soliciting and accepting bribes for himself and Rosmah, amounting to RM5.5 million, over the same project.

He was also charged with soliciting RM25 million for himself and RM187.5 million for Rosmah over the same project.

It was 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. — Bernama