KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has failed in her last ditch attempt to disqualify High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan from presiding over her corruption trial.
Mohamed Zaini dismissed her application after the court reconvened this afternoon.
Immediately after he denied her request, Rosmah's lawyer again pleaded for an adjournment.
He said the defence planned to appeal against the decision.
However, Mohamed Zaini said while the defence could go ahead and appeal, he would proceed with his decision on Rosmah's corruption case.
Rosmah had filed the application through the legal firm of Messrs Akberdin & Co on Tuesday afternoon following the publication of a leaked draft judgment by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin last week.
Rosmah, 70, is on trial over the RM1.25 billion project to supply solar hybrid energy to rural schools in Sarawak.
She is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, through her then aide Datuk Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help the company secure the project.
She is also accused of two counts of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017.