July 6 hearing for Rosmah’s latest bid to challenge Sri Ram’s appointment

Rosmah Mansor’s application to challenge the appointment of Gopal Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor in her RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project case and nullify the entire trial proceedings since 2018 will be heard on July 6.

The application will be heard before High Court judge Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid.

Rosmah’s lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader confirmed the matter when contacted today.

Rosmah, 70, filed an application for judicial review on June 24 through Messrs Akberdin & Co at the High Court (Appeal and Special Powers), naming the attorney-general/public prosecutor, the government and Sri Ram as respondents.

Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, had previously filed a similar application at the Kuala Lumpur Criminal High Court.

However, her application was rejected by the High Court. Her appeal against the application was also rejected by the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

In her latest application, Rosmah sought a declaration that the appointment of Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor through three letters of appointment (fiat) dated July 8, 2020, May 11 and May 21, 2021, respectively, was unlawful.

She sought a declaration that the first version of the fiat signed by Attorney-General Idrus Harun on July 8, 2020, which should have been signed by the previous attorney-general, Tommy Thomas, on or before Nov 15, 2018, i.e. the date of prosecution against the applicant, was invalid.

She also sought a declaration that the second version of fiat dated May 11, 2021 was non-existent as Thomas in his book, “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness”, published in 2021, stated that Sri Ram’s appointment was related to 1MDB and not the solar case.

In addition, Rosmah sought a declaration that the entire prosecution proceedings and the full trial for the solar case from Nov 15, 2018 until the defence closed the case were invalid and void.

“Therefore, I as the accused person must be acquitted of all charges faced under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 in the solar case,” Rosmah said in her application.

Rosmah is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million in addition to two counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide Rizal Mansor, as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure a RM1.25 billion project to provide solar hybrid energy in 369 schools in rural Sarawak.

The trial at the High Court has been completed and judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan has set July 7 to deliver a decision on whether Rosmah will be acquitted or convicted of the three corruption charges.