KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — The High Court here today sentenced Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to a total of 30 years’ jail and RM970 million fine, in default 10 years’ jail, after finding her guilty on all three corruption charges involving a RM1.25 billion hybrid solar project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sentenced to 10 years’ jail on each count of the charges.
However, Rosmah will have to serve only 10 years in jail as Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan ordered for all the jail sentences to run concurrently.
Following is the chronology of the case:
November 15, 2018 — Rosmah was charged for the first time in the Sessions Court here with two counts of soliciting RM187.5 million and accepting bribes amounting to RM1.5 million from former Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin in connection with a hybrid solar project in 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
January 24, 2019 — The prosecution applied for Rosmah’s two cases to be transferred to the High Court.
February 15, 2019 — The defence team objected to the prosecution’s request.
March 15, 2019 — The High Court allowed the prosecution’s application to transfer from the Sessions Court.
April 10, 2019 — Rosmah was again charged in the Sessions Court with accepting a bribe of RM5 million from the same individual involving the same project.
February 5, 2020 — The first day of Rosmah’s corruption trial in the High Court.
August 5, 2020 — Rosmah applied to obtain a copy of the letter of appointment of Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as Senior Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) in the case.
August 19, 2020 — The High Court dismissed her bid to obtain the copy.
September 9, 2020 — The High Court dismissed Rosmah’s application to prohibit the media from reporting certain parts of the witness statement of her former special officer Datuk Rizal Mansor.
November 23, 2020 — Rosmah appealed against the decision of the High Court which rejected her application to obtain Sri Ram’s appointment letter.
December 11, 2020 — The prosecution closed its case after calling 23 witnesses.
February 18, 2021 — The High Court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence on all three corruption charges after finding that the prosecution had made out a prima facie case against her.
April 8, 2021 — The Court of Appeal allowed Rosmah’s appeal to get Sri Ram’s appointment letter as senior DPP in her trial after the prosecution conceded to furnish the document.
May 7, 2021 — Rosmah filed an application to declare the trial proceedings in the High Court as a nullity centred around the validity of a letter appointing former federal court judge Sri Ram as ad-hoc DPP in the case.
September 24, 2021 — The High Court dismissed Rosmah’s application to nullify her corruption trial and to disqualify Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case.
October 4, 2021 — The Court of Appeal refused to grant Rosmah a stay of the court proceeding pending disposal of her related appeal.
October 5, 2021 — Rosmah testified in the High Court on the first day of her defence trial.
October 15, 2021 — The High Court granted Rosmah’s application for her passport to be returned temporarily to enable her to go to Singapore to visit her daughter who gave birth to her second child.
October 21, 2021 — The High Court allowed the prosecution’s attempt to impeach Rosmah’s credibility following contradictions in her testimony in the solar project trial and the statement she gave to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in her money laundering case.
December 6, 2021 — Rosmah failed in her bid to nullify her corruption trial and to remove Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case.
February 23, 2022 — The defence team closed its case after calling two witnesses, namely the accused and former First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division director Datuk Seri Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod.
April 5, 2022 — The High Court allowed the prosecution’s application to file additional submissions in the case.
May 12, 2022 — The High Court set July 7 for the verdict of Rosmah’s case.
May 27, 2022 — Rosmah failed in a final bid to nullify her corruption trial and to remove Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in the case.
June 27, 2022 — Rosmah once again filed an application to challenge the appointment of Sri Ram as senior DPP in her corruption trial and to nullify the entire trial proceedings since 2018.
July 1, 2022 — The High Court set Sept 1 as the new date for delivering its judgment on Rosmah’s corruption case.
August 30, 2022 — The High Court dismissed Rosmah’s fresh bid to disqualify Sri Ram as senior DPP in her corruption trial.
August 31, 2022 — Rosmah filed a last-minute application for Judge Mohamed Zaini to recuse himself from hearing or making a decision on her case.
September 1, 2022 — Mohamed Zaini rejected the application.
— Bernama
