KUALA LUMPUR: It has been touted as one of the most highly-anticipated criminal cases ever and the first day of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial did not disappoint.
There was drama right from the onset of the hearing today when the case was called out but Rosmah was nowhere to be seen.
Her lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh informed High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that his client was unable to attend trial today as she had been given an MC (Medical Chit).
He initially did not want to reveal why the MC was issued, justifying it by saying “it will be embarrassing for the whole nation to know the sickness of a person.”
Jagjit nevertheless said the court ought to know that Rosmah’s condition could be described as life threatening.
He then proceeded to refer the judge to a Google website page which detailed the medical condition and how it could be life threatening.
Zaini immediately quipped by saying; “You are referring to Doctor Google here… this is just one of the symptoms of what she is suffering from.”
Jagjit continued by saying that Rosmah was unfit to attend the trial for this entire week but the defence was ready to proceed next week.
However, lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram vigorously objected the defence’s application and said Rosmah was just trying everything possible to avoid attending court.
He said the condition she was suffering from was experienced by many people and she should have sought treatment even before the case started.
“Even I suffer from neck pain and all kinds of pains and so too many others in this court. She has been suffering from this for the last five years as stated in the medical report.
“She should have seen the doctor last week and unless she is examined by a government doctor, we oppose this MC,” he said.
Sri Ram then shocked everyone when he called on the judge to revoke Rosmah’s bail and throw her in prison to ensure her attendance in court.
“I am sure if she is kept in prison she will be more able to attend proceedings.
“We (prosecution) ask for her bail to be revoked,” he said.
However, his application did not go down well with Jagjit who rebuked Sri Ram for taking an extreme stand by asking for Rosmah’s bail to be revoked.
“I have never heard of such an application and I am shocked by the prosecution’s stand.
“We prosecute, we defend but we don’t get personal,” he said, while assuring the judge that his client’s medical condition was genuine.
He also argued that there were no legal provisions requiring one to get the MC certified by a government doctor.
Zaini eventually ruled that he would not allow the entire week to be vacated and ordered the trial to begin on Wednesday.
Pointing out that his trial dates were precious, Zaini said he would accept Rosmah coming to court on a wheelchair and grant as many breaks during hearings but the case must go on regardless.
Rosmah, 69, was supposed to attend the first day of her corruption trial in connection with the supply and installation for solar energy at 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
She is facing two counts of soliciting RM187.5 million and receiving RM1.8 million for projects to provide solar energy to rural schools in Sarawak.
On the first count, she was charged with dishonestly soliciting for herself a gratification of RM187.5 million –which is 15 per cent of the value of the contract from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudain.
It was an inducement to help the company to secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry.
She was charged with committing the offence at Lygon Café, in Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra, Chow Kit between March and April 2016.
On the second count, she was charged with dishonestly receiving for herself RM1.5 million from Saidi for the same purpose at No 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta on Sept 7, 2017.
Rosmah also faces a third count of accepting gratification of RM5 million from Saidi to secure the same project at the same place in Jalan Langgak Duta.
She is charged under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and faces up to 20 years' jail and fine, if convicted.
Rosmah was initially jointly charged with her former special officer Datuk Rizal Mansor with soliciting and receiving the bribes.
However, the prosecution has since withdrawn all the charges against Rizal and he is expected to be called as a prosecution witness.