KUALA LUMPUR – The prosecution has been given the green light to raise Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s money laundering case in her ongoing solar hybrid energy corruption trial.
This is after the high court allowed the commencement of impeachment proceedings against her.
Several media outlets quoted judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan as allowing the admission of Rosmah’s statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on her Anti-Money Laundering Act (Amla) charge to cross-examine her character.
Zaini said he was satisfied that the application made by the prosecution fulfilled the requirements of the Evidence Act, but would limit questions only to the fact that she was charged under the act.
“I will not allow questions to be asked on facts of the Amla charges that the accused faces, other than that she was charged,” he said today, in order to limit any prejudice Rosmah may suffer as a result.
The judge said the cross-examination must also exclude any question pertaining to her bank statements and the alleged deposits made into her account by one Roslan Sohari.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram was reported to have applied to the court to allow the impeachment of Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The defence team led by Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader and Datuk Jagjit Singh had failed in its objection on the matter.
Rosmah is currently facing trial over three corruption charges in relation to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
She is also separately facing 17 other money laundering and tax evasion charges involving RM7.09 million related to the same project, although this trial has yet to start. – The Vibes, October 21, 2021
