KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's final bid to recuse Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in her corruption case and to nullify the ongoing trial will be heard on March 24.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam said the date was fixed before Federal Court's registrar Siti Hajar Mustaffa via zoom proceedings today.
Lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh appeared for Rosmah.
On Dec 6, a three-man Court of Appeal bench led by judge Datuk Hanipah Farikullah unanimously rejected Rosmah's appeal after allowing the respondent's preliminary objection (PO) that the court has no jurisdiction to grant the declarations sought by her.
Rosmah had sought a declaration that Sri Ram's appointment was invalid as well as a declaration that her ongoing trial linked to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project was null and void.
Hanipah said the court was of the view that the relief sought for must fall within the matters allowed by the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
Rosmah was appealing against the High Court's decision of dismissing her application to disqualify Sri Ram as the lead prosecutor in her corruption case and to annul the ongoing trial proceedings.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan had dismissed her bid on Sept 24, ruling that Sri Ram's appointment by then Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas was validly done under Section 376(3) of the CPC.
He had on the same day dismissed Rosmah's application for a stay of the trial pending the disposal of the appeal over the decision.
Rosmah is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd's former managing director Saidi Abang Samsuddin, through her former special officer Datuk Rizal Mansor.
She was accused of committing the offences between Jan 2016 and Sept 2017.
She purportedly received the money in exchange for helping the company obtain a RM1.25 billion project to provide solar energy to 369 rural schools in Sarawak.