Malaysian ex-PM Najib’s wife Rosmah files appeal against guilty verdict in corruption case
Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal against the High Court’s decision that convicted and sentenced her to 10 years in jail and fined her RM970 million (S$303 million) for corruption in a solar hybrid case.
The notice of appeal was filed via email through law firm Messrs Akberdin & Co on Friday. Rosmah’s lawyer, Jagjit Singh, said on Thursday that the appeal process could take up to six months.
According to the notice of appeal, Rosmah said she was unsatisfied with the entire decision by High Court judge Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that was delivered on Thursday.
Rosmah is also appealing against Justice Mohamed Zaini’s dismissal of her application to recuse him from presiding over her case.
She had filed the notice of motion to recuse Justice Mohamed Zaini on Aug 30, arguing that a research paper prepared by court officials which was leaked online last week compromised the court and the judge’s integrity in delivering the verdict.
On Thursday, Justice Mohamed Zaini convicted Rosmah of three charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
She was found guilty of one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of accepting bribes, RM1.5 million and RM5 million, from former managing director of Jepak Holdings, Saidi Abang Samsudin.
The bribe was received through her former aide Rizal Mansor as a reward to help Jepak Holdings obtain the Integrated Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Hybrid System Project as well as genset/diesel maintenance and operations for 369 schools worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiations with the Education Ministry.