KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 10 (NNN-BERNAMA) -Rosmah Mansor, wife of former Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak, was back in the Sessions Court today, to face a new charge over the solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.
She was charged with accepting gratification of RM 5 million (USD 1.22 million) from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, for allegedly helping the company to secure the project.
Rosmah, 68, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was read out before judge Azura Alwi.
It is the third time that Rosmah was charged in the Sessions Court over the solar hybrid project.
The new charge brings to 20 the total number of charges against Rosmah, with 12 of them for money laundering, five for failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and three for soliciting and accepting gratification for the implementation of the solar project.
She arrived at the Jalan Duta Court Complex at 8.40 am, accompanied by her son, Mohd Ashman.
According to the new charge, Rosmah was alleged to have corruptly accepted for herself, RM 5 million from one Saidi Abang Samsudin, 60, through Rizal Mansor, 45, as gratification for helping Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd to secure the project, known as the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project, and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Deisel, a solar hybrid project for 396 rural schools in Sarawak, through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry.
She was charged with committing the offence at No 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, here, on Dec 20, 2016, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law.
The law provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, if found guilty.
The prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor, Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, offered bail at RM 1 million in one surety, on grounds that it involved a serious offence and that when the offence was allegedly committed, Rosmah was the wife of a prime minister.
Dusuki also said, although the new charge was related to the previous two charges, a separate bail was necessary, to avoid any inconvenience, should the three charges be tried separately.– NNN-BERNAMA
