THE appeal hearing of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, seeking to recuse the trial judge who convicted her in the RM1.25 billion solar energy project case for Sarawak’s rural schools, was postponed yesterday after she fell ill.
Rosmah, the 74-year-old wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was seen earlier at the Court of Appeal’s public gallery, accompanied by her aides and supporters.
However, when the proceedings commenced before a three-member panel led by Judge Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Rosmah’s lawyer, Datuk Jagjit Singh, informed the court that his client had been taken to the hospital.
“My client was present this morning but she began feeling lightheaded. She has diabetes and high blood pressure, and due to her condition, she had to be rushed to the hospital,” Jagjit explained.
Judge Zaidi, sitting with judges Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, rescheduled the hearing to May 15.
After the proceedings, co-counsel Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader shared that Rosmah had been unwell even before arriving at court.
“She mentioned that she felt dizzy, but we encouraged her to attend, fearing the judge might not accept her excuse. However, as her condition worsened, we advised her to go to the hospital without taking any risks,” a local daily reported him saying.
During the proceedings, Judge Zaidi questioned the lawyers about the appeal’s purpose and its potential consequences.
He noted that the trial High Court judge, Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, had previously refused to recuse himself and had delivered a verdict against Rosmah in 2022.
Zaini, who now serves as an appellate court judge, had presided over the case in the first instance.
Zaidi asked whether it would be more efficient to hear the recusal appeal alongside the appeals regarding the conviction and sentence.
In response, Jagjit explained that if the recusal appeal was successful, it could result in a retrial, and Rosmah’s conviction and sentence would be automatically nullified.
Following discussions between the defence and prosecution, both sides agreed to first address the recusal appeal application. Deputy public prosecutor K. Mangai did not object to the postponement.
Rosmah had previously failed in her attempt to disqualify Judge Zaini from overseeing her corruption trial. On September 1, 2022, the recusal application was dismissed, which stemmed from concerns over the publication of a purported leak of a judgment related to her case.
In 2022, Rosmah was sentenced to 10 years in prison for each of the three corruption charges related to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for rural schools in Sarawak.
She was also ordered to pay a fine of RM970 million, with a default sentence of 10 years in jail if she failed to do so. The sentences were to be served concurrently.
However, Rosmah was granted a stay of execution pending her appeal.
The charges against her include soliciting RM187.5 million from Saidi Abang Samsudin, the former managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, through her aide Rizal Mansor. The money was allegedly intended as a bribe to help secure the solar project.
She was also accused of accepting bribes totaling RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017.
Rosmah’s trial began in 2020 and spanned 42 days, with 23 prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses, including Rosmah herself.
The trial officially began on February 5, 2020, and Rosmah was ordered to enter her defence on February 18, 2021. Her defence case was concluded on February 23, 2021.
The prosecution was led by the late Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, assisted by deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam, and Poh Yin Tinn. – March 5, 2025
