PUTRAJAYA – Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s defence team in her corruption case will be provided with a copy of Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram’s appointment letter as senior deputy public prosecutor after the prosecution conceded to provide the document to them.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib conceded for Rosmah’s appeal to be allowed, and for the prosecution to give the appointment letter dated July 8 last year to the defence with exception of omitting certain portions irrelevant to Rosmah’s case.
Following this sudden twist of event, the Court of Appeal three-member bench led by justice Datuk Suraya Othman allowed Rosmah’s appeal to get Sri Ram’s appointment letter in her trial relating to a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
She acceded to Akram’s request to give a copy of the document to the defence by Monday.
The other judges presiding on the bench were justices Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Ghazali Cha.
Rosmah brought the matter up for appeal to the Court of Appeal after the high court dismissed her application to get the appointment letter on August 19 last year.
In midst of the appeal hearing proceeding earlier, Suraya asked Akram whether there is a letter of appointment of Sri Ram, to which he said yes.
After perusing the letter, Suraya said from the court’s observation, the document does not satisfy two of the three requirements for which Rosmah’s lawyers requested.
She said the appointment letter is not dated on or before November 15, 2018, the day when Rosmah was charged in court, and is not signed by then attorney-general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.
Instead, the letter is dated July 8 last year and signed by current Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, she added.
Rosmah’s defence team – led by lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh – had sought the court to see when the appointment letter is dated, who signed it, and whether it contained particulars pertaining to the charge against Rosmah.
Outside the court, Jagjit told reporters that when Rosmah was charged, there was no such letter of appointment for Sri Ram to conduct as senior deputy public prosecutor.
The conduct of Sri Ram throughout the case of the prosecution, he added, is a nullity as he was never appointed.
“Now, the issue that is disturbing us is whether to apply for a retrial.” – Bernama, April 8, 2021
