March 24 hearing for Rosmah’s last bid to nullify graft case, remove Sri Ram

Rosmah Mansor’s final bid to nullify her corruption trial over a hybrid solar project in Sarawak and to remove Gopal Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case will be heard in the Federal Court on March 24.

Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn said the date was fixed by Federal Court deputy registrar Siti Hajar Mustaffa during the online case management today.

“Both parties must file their submissions on March 9,” he said when contacted by reporters.

Also attending the proceedings was lawyer Jagjit Sing, representing Rosmah.

Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, is appealing against the Court of Appeal’s decision on Dec 6 rejecting her application to nullify her entire trial in an effort to be freed of all three charges and to remove Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case.

A three-man Court of Appeal bench led by judge Hanipah Farikullah unanimously rejected Rosmah’s appeal, agreeing with the prosecution’s contention that the criminal court has no jurisdiction to grant the declaratory relief sought by Rosmah as the appellant.

On Sept 24, High Court justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan had dismissed her application saying that the authorisation given by then attorney-general Tommy Thomas to Sri Ram to conduct the criminal prosecution in Rosmah’s case was validly done under Section 376 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code in his capacity as the public prosecutor.

Rosmah faces a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former assistant Rizal Mansor as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings to secure a RM1.25 billion project to equip 369 schools in rural Sarawak with solar hybrid power.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Jan 10.