PUTRAJAYA – A criminal court has no jurisdiction to grant a declaration order sought by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to nullify her corruption trial over the RM1.25 billion hybrid solar project, the Court of Appeal heard today.
Senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram said Rosmah could only appeal against three types of decision by a criminal court, whether to quash a criminal charge for being groundless, acquit, or convict the accused facing the criminal charge.
“A criminal court is not empowered to issue declarations like those by a civil court. A criminal court cannot grant declarations and the appellant (Rosmah) should have filed a judicial review in a civil court for such a declaration,” he said before a three-member bench comprising Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, Datuk M. Gunalan, and Datuk Hashim Hamzah.
Sri Ram raised this point in a preliminary objection on Rosmah’s appeal against the high court’s decision on September 24 rejecting her application to nullify her corruption trial and remove Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case.
Rosmah’s counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh countered that the issue of whether a criminal court could hear a declaratory order was being raised by the respondent (public prosecutor) for the first time, to which Sri Ram replied the issue could be brought at any time.
Sri Ram said he was prepared to argue the matter by putting in written submissions, which Jagjit had no objection to.
Justice Hanipah then ordered both parties to file in the written submissions by November 22 since the point raised by Sri Ram was quite critical and would have implications on the merit of Rosmah’s appeal.
The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is appealing against the high court’s refusal to nullify her entire trial in an effort to be freed of all three charges and to remove Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case.
Rosmah is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director, Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former assistant, Datuk Rizal Mansor, as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings to secure a RM1.25 billion project to equip 369 schools in rural Sarawak with solar hybrid power.
On October 4, the Court of Appeal rejected Rosmah’s application to adjourn her corruption trial while waiting for the decision on the appeal.
Following the decision, Rosmah, 69, testified as a defence witness during the hearing held at the high court on October 5. The trial is scheduled to resume on December 8. – Bernama, November 15, 2021
