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KUALA LUMPUR: Former Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid was unable to appear in High Court today to testify in Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial, as he is still under Covid-19 quarantine.
Ad-hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that Mahdzir had been placed under a home surveillance order (HSO) by the Ministry of Health.
The ministry, in its notice, stated that Mahdzir should be placed under HSO as he was in close contact with a Covid-19 patient.
“They told me that he will go to his third test on Wednesday and the result will come out on Thursday.
“So, the prosecution seeks the court’s leniency to take this case until next Tuesday (October 13) afternoon, for the witness (Mahdzir) to complete his cross-examination and for us to close our case,” he said, adding the period quarantine of Mahdzir. ends October 12.
Rosmah’s lawyer, Jagjit Singh, told the court that he needed to check his diary to see if he was available next week to question Mahdzir and that he would inform the court on Tuesday.
The defense is trying to call Mahdzir to the witness stand to clarify certain issues. Earlier, Mahdzir had told the court that Rosmah pressured him to award the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project in Sarawak to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd.
He insisted that he did not accept any bribes from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin for the project.
Meanwhile, the prosecution called their latest witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer, Noornabilah Mohd Aziman, to testify. She had started investigations of the case in November 2018.
She said the agency found evidence that Rosmah had solicited and accepted bribes for the RM1.25 billion project.
“My colleague (Mohd Shukri Mohd Said) instructed me to initiate investigations against him based on the findings of the other case,” he said, without revealing what “other case” he was referring to.
Noornabilah also said that he obtained relevant documents from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Jalan Medan Tuanku Maybank branch, as well as the Bintulu branch CIMB.
“In addition to that, another officer (Nik Lokman Hakim Nik Mohd Nor) also passed me a recording of an alleged conversation between Datin Seri and Datuk Seri Najib (Razak) on February 9,” he added.
The court previously heard the recording when Mahdzir and former Rosmah officer Rizal Mansor testified. Both men confirmed that Rosmah and Najib were the people in the recording.
The hearing continues tomorrow before Zaini.
Rosmah faces three corruption charges for allegedly requesting RM187.5 million from Saidi as an incentive to help Jepak Holdings secure the Integrated Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Project and the maintenance and operation of Genset / Diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
The Ministry of Education project, awarded through direct negotiations, has a value of 1.25 billion ringgit.
Rosmah is also accused of receiving bribes worth RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017.
