KUALA LUMPUR: The RM5 million received from former managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, Saidi Abang Samsudin in relation to a solar hybrid project in Sarawak, was a ‘political donation’ meant for former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Barisan Nasional (BN), the High Court, here, heard yesterday.
This was suggested by the defence lawyer in the trial of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor who is facing one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Saidi, to which the 21th prosecution witness, Datuk Rizal Mansor, agreed.
The former special officer to Rosmah had earlier agreed to lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh, representing her, that the RM5 million which he described as a ‘political donation’ was not meant for Rosmah.
Jagjit: Do you agree it (RM5 million) would have been meant for Datuk Seri Najib to be used in the next general election.
Rizal: Right.
Jagjit: The donation solicited and received from Jepak, Saidi and Rayyan (Saidi’s business partner Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah) was transferred through you, then through Rosmah and then finally to be given to Najib.
Rizal: I cannot confirm.
Jagjit: But in your evidence, it was meant for a political donation to Najib.
Rizal: Purpose for Najib, yes. Execution…I cannot confirm.
Yesterday, the key prosecution witness agreed with Jagjit’s suggestion that Jepak intended to contribute to Najib as a token of appreciation for the minutes given by Najib in helping the company to secure the solar hybrid project and to ensure BN’s victory in the next general election.
Meanwhile, on Jagjit’s question on the RM500,000 he received from Saidi and Rayyan in December 2016, Rizal who has been placed under the witness protection programme, said at first he did not know the money was part of the payment of RM5 million.
Rizal: (On the RM500,000) he (Saidi) had only said about coming over (to my house) via a phone call and stated that he only wanted to hand over the ‘musang king durian’, of which I understood what it meant.
Jagjit: Oh, so that (musang king) was your sign for corrupt money. You knew they (Saidi and Rayyan) came to your house to deliver ‘musang king’, the corrupt monies.
Rizal: Yes.
Rizal, however, disagreed with Jagjit’s suggestion that he gave false evidence on the RM5 million that was sent to Rosmah’s official residence at Seri Perdana Complex in December 2016, the same day he received the RM500,000.
The witness who was on Jan 8, acquitted and discharged of four charges of soliciting and receiving bribes for himself and Rosmah for the solar hybrid project, also disagreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that the RM5 million was pocketed by him for himself.
Jagjit: I put it to you that your evidence (that RM5 million was sent to Seri Perdana) is a false evidence because Rosmah was not at Sri Perdana, she was at Langgak Duta (her house).
Rizal: I disagree.
Jagjit: When you received the RM500,000, it was a bonus to you, RM5 million plus RM500,000. You ‘kebas’ (took) the money (RM5 million), that’s the truth.
Rizal: I disagree.
The hearing before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan was then adjourned to Thursday after Jagjit told the court that Rosmah had a toothache and needed to see a dentist.
Rosmah, 68, was charged with receiving the bribes through Rizal as a reward for helping Jepak secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project, as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel gensets for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25 billion from the Education Ministry through direct negotiation.
The offences were allegedly committed at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra here; Rosmah’s residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta and at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya between January 2016 and Sept 2017. – Bernama