PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal here today allowed Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s application for temporary release of her passport to enable her to travel to Singapore.
A three-member panel of judges comprising justices Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail, and Datuk Azman Abdullah made the decision after deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn did not object to her application.
Justice Kamaludin said that since there was no objection by the prosecution to the application, the court unanimously granted the order in terms.
Earlier, Rosmah’s lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh informed the court that she sought leave of the court for the release of her international passport to enable her to travel to Singapore to visit her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren of whom one is unwell.
He said Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, will be leaving for Singapore on Thursday and be in the republic for six weeks, as well as spend Hari Raya there, before returning on May 5.
“We will give an undertaking to return her (Rosmah’s) passport (to the court) within one week upon her return,” said Jagjit.
Poh then suggested that Rosmah return her passport on or before May 10.
Rosmah’s passport had been impounded by the court in 2019 after she was charged with corruption.
On September 1 last year, then Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan found Rosmah guilty of three corruption charges involving RM1.25 billion in connection with a hybrid solar project for schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah, 71, was sentenced to 10 years in jail on each charge to be served concurrently, which means she will only serve 10 years in jail. She was also fined RM970 million, in default 30 years’ jail.
She was accused of one count of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
The high court, however, granted Rosmah a stay of execution on the prison sentence and fine pending her appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Rosmah’s appeal against her conviction and sentence is fixed for hearing at the Court of Appeal for four days beginning July 11.
Also representing Rosmah and present in court today were lawyers Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader and Azrul Zulkifli Stork. – Bernama, March 21, 2023
