PUTRAJAYA, Sept 4 — The prosecution will appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision allowing Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s application to adduce additional evidence in her appeal against her conviction and sentence for corruption involving the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project.
Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar confirmed that the prosecution would file the appeal.
“It merits an appeal to the Federal Court. We will file it as soon as possible,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Under the law, a notice of appeal must be filed within 14 days of the court’s decision.
On Tuesday (September 1), a three-man bench of the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli, Datuk Choo Kah Sing, and K. Muniandy allowed Rosmah’s application to submit additional evidence in her appeal against her corruption conviction and sentence.
The court ordered that the additional evidence be obtained from prosecution witness Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah through further cross-examination and re-examination. It also ordered that any other evidence to be introduced by either the defence or prosecution must be related to Rayyan’s additional evidence.
The Court of Appeal further ordered that the additional evidence be recorded before a new High Court judge within two weeks of the case management, which is scheduled for Thursday (September 10).
Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, sought to adduce additional evidence comprising a police report and a statutory declaration affirmed by Rayyan, who alleged he was subjected to prosecutorial pressure during the trial.
On September 1, 2022, the High Court convicted her on three corruption charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
Rosmah was found guilty of soliciting RM187.5 million and accepting RM6.5 million in bribes from former Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor.
The bribes were an inducement for her assistance to Jepak Holdings in securing the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak from the Education Ministry.
Rosmah was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on each charge, to run concurrently, and fined RM970 million. She was granted a stay of execution pending her appeal.
The Court of Appeal has fixed October 4 to October 16 and October 19 to October 23 for the hearing of her appeal.
