Rosmah’s bid to disqualify Sri Ram, nullify her trial to be heard on June 17

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — The hearing of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s bid to nullify her RM1.25 billion corruption trial over the solar hybrid project and to disqualify Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case, scheduled to be heard tomorrow, has been postponed to June 17.

Senior assistant registrar of the High Court, Nur Azizah Jaafar in an email to both parties said judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan fixed the date after reviewing a letter from the counsel and getting feedback from the respondent (prosecution).

“The hearing on June 3 via Zoom where both parties are expected to present their submissions is postponed following implementation of the total lockdown by the government. The applications will be heard in open court on June 17.

“The June 15 and 16 dates fixed to hear Rosmah’s defence have also been vacated,” she said.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, when contacted, confirmed both hearing postponements.

“It is understood that the defence has requested for the hearing of the applications to be in open court,” he said.

The wife of the former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak filed two applications at the High Court here on May 6, seeking to nullify her entire trial, in her bid to be acquitted of all three charges, as well as to remove Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor.

Rosmah, 69, filed the applications after the Court of Appeal had on April 8 allowed her appeal to get a copy of Sri Ram’s appointment letter, after the prosecution agreed to provide it to the defence team.

Rosmah brought the matter up for appeal after the High Court dismissed her application over Sri Ram’s appointment letter on August 19 last year.

The appointment letter was not dated on or before November 15, 2018, the day when Rosmah was charged in court, and was not signed by the then Attorney General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.

Instead, the letter was dated July 8 last year and signed by the current Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun.

On February 18, 2021, judge Mohamed Zaini ordered Rosmah to enter her defence on all three corruption charges and fixed nine days, namely, June 9,10,15,16,17, 22, 23 and July 12 and 15, to hear the evidence from Rosmah and other defence witnesses. — Bernama