Rosmah's solar project trial adjourned again as her MySejahtera status still orange

KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's corruption trial in connection with the solar energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak was postponed again today as her MySejahtera status still showed that she had close contact with a COVID-19 case.

High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan vacated today's hearing after Rosmah's counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh informed the court that his client's MySejahtera status was still orange.

"For your Lordship's information, my client is present today at the court's compound. She is in the car now. Her MySejahtera status was verified by the court's registrar," the lawyer said.

In response to this, senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram suggested to Justice Mohamed Zaini to conduct a hybrid trial proceeding, where Rosmah can continue to give evidence from her home or lawyer's office.

"I believe we can continue this proceeding via Zoom and we (the prosecution) will have supervising DPPs present and they (defence) can have the solicitors present," said Sri Ram.

However, Justice Mohamed Zaini said he would like to be more cautious at this stage of the trial.

"I have taught about that and I have gone through the relevant statute, there does not seem to be any provision and I'd like to be more cautious.

"We do not want to derail the whole trial just because we think it (hybrid trial) is okay at this stage," said the judge.

The court then fixed three additional dates, this Dec 13, 23, 24, and six more days, Jan 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 as well as Feb 4 next year, for the trial.

On Dec 8, the same judge had vacated Rosmah's trial, contending that the court complex's standard operating procedures (SOP) only allowed people with blue MySejahtera status to enter the building and will not allow those with close or casual contact (with COVID-19 cases) into the premises.

Rosmah, who is celebrating her 70th birthday today, is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes totaling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former assistant Datuk Rizal Mansor as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings to secure the RM1.25 billion project to equip 369 schools in rural Sarawak with solar hybrid power.

-- BERNAMA