Nov 14 case management for Rosmah's appeal in solar graft case

A new date for case management has been fixed on Nov 14 for Rosmah Mansor's appeal against her conviction, 10-year jail sentence and RM970 million fine for corruption involving the RM1.25 billion hybrid solar project for rural schools in Sarawak.

Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn said during online case management before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mohd Khairi Haron today that Rosmah’s counsel, Jagjit Singh, informed the registrar that they had yet to collect the record of appeal.

Poh said the lawyer also asked for his client’s appeal against the decision of Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan not to recuse himself from hearing and deciding on the solar case to be heard first.

"I told the registrar that the prosecution has no objection to Rosmah’s appeal to disqualify the judge to be heard first.

"The court then fixed Nov 14 for the next case management to check on the filing of the petition of appeal," Poh said when contacted.

However, another of Rosmah’s lawyers, Akberdin Abdul Kader, told Bernama that they had yet to file the petition of appeal.

On Sept 1, Zaini convicted Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, of three charges of corruption, and sentenced her to 10 years in jail for each of the charges with the prison terms to run concurrently.

The judge also fined her RM970 million, holding her liable to a total of 30 years in jail if she failed to pay this.

The High Court granted her a stay of execution for the prison term and fine pending her appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Rosmah filed the appeal against her conviction and sentence on Sept 2. 

She is also appealing against the High Court's decision to turn down her application to disqualify Zaini from hearing and deciding on her case.