Rosmah appeals against conviction and sentence in solar graft case

Rosmah Mansor today submitted an appeal against her conviction and sentence over the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.

Rosmah, 70, filed the appeal notice through Messrs Akberdin & Co at the Court of Appeal via e-mail.

Lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader, representing Rosmah, confirmed the matter when contacted today.

Based on the appeal notice, Rosmah is unsatisfied with the overall decision of justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan yesterday and wants to appeal against the decision which convicted her under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, as well as the jail term and fine under Section 24 (1) of the MACC Act 2009.

The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak also filed an appeal against the decision of Zaini who turned down her application to disqualify him from hearing and deciding on the case.
 
Yesterday, the High Court sentenced Rosmah to 30 years in prison and fined her RM970 million after finding her guilty of three counts of corruption.

Rosmah was sentenced to 10 years in prison for each charge. However, she will only serve 10 years in prison as Zaini ordered that the prison sentences should run concurrently.

The court also ordered her to be imprisoned for 30 years if she failed to pay the fine.

Rosmah had faced one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.

Zaini in his judgment, among others, ruled that Rosmah's defence was a mere denial and that the RM6.5 million was indeed for her, and that she received the money at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta and Seri Perdana.

In his 116-page judgment, the judge also ruled that Rosmah had dominated her husband, Najib, and had control over the former prime minister, saying it was clear from the  "Can I advise you something" audio clip between Najib and Rosmah that the accused had given instructions to Najib regarding government affairs.