Rosmah guilty of corruption, rules High Court

Rosmah guilty of corruption, rules High Court

Rosmah Mansor faces up to 20 years’ jail, and a fine of no less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

High Court judge Zaini Mazlan ruled that the prosecution had proven its case against Rosmah Mansor beyond a reasonable doubt. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR:
Rosmah Mansor has been found guilty on all three counts of corruption in connection with the RM1.25 billion Sarawak rural schools’ solar energy project.

High Court judge Zaini Mazlan ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Rosmah, 70, was charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide, Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help the company secure the solar project.

She was also charged with receiving bribes amounting to RM5 million from Saidi, through Rizal, at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on Dec 20, 2016.

She faced an additional charge of receiving another RM1.5 million from Saidi at Jalan Langgak Duta on Sept 7, 2017.

She was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

During mitigation, her lawyer, Jagjit Singh, pleaded to the court to impose a one-day jail sentence and a “minimum” fine on all three charges.

“The prosecution is not opposing a stay of execution, I believe,” he said.

However, ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram objected to the request for a one-day sentence.

“If the court imposes this (one-day) sentence, it will send a wrong message to the society which we are serving,” he said.

He urged the court to impose a jail sentence of “near maximum” for three charges, and a total fine of RM970 million, or 10 years in default.

He said the prosecution will have no objection if the court grants Rosmah a stay on paying the fine, pending disposal of her final appeal before the Federal Court.

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