KL High Court finds Rosmah guilty on all three graft charges

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Rosmah arrives for the verdict in her corruption trial at the high court in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 1, 2022. — AFP photo

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 1): Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has been found guilty of all three charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM194 million in return for assisting in a RM1.25 billion government contract to supply energy to rural schools in Sarawak.

High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan delivered his verdict this afternoon after dismissing the defence’s last-minute application for his recusal this morning.

“I find the accused failed to rebut the assumption that she did not receive the sums of money. I found the receipt of RM187.5 million was corruptly received, the second charge of receiving RM1.5 million and the third charge for receiving RM5 million was corruptly received in return for getting Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd a government contract through direct negotiations,” he said.

“The defence was devoid of credible evidence and unsubstantiated evidence which created reasonable doubt. The prosecution has delivered their case and therefore I find the accused guilty of all three charges and I now invite counsel to submit their litigation pending stay of execution,” he added.

Rosmah, the wife of convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes from contractor Saidi Abang Samsudin in 2016 and 2017 so that his company Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd can secure a RM1.25 billion government project to supply electricity to the schools in Sarawak.

She is also accused of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Saidi. Her trial formally started in February 2020.

Hearing concluded in February this year, with 23 prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses, including Rosmah, testifying during this two-year period.

Rosmah has so far filed three applications challenging the appointment of lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram.

On February 18 last year, Rosmah, 70, was ordered to enter her defence on the three charges after the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her. — Malay Mail