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KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The High Court here on Wednesday (September 9) dismissed a request by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to prohibit the media from reporting on certain parts of the witness statement of his former special officer Datuk Rizal Mansor, which is read in his graft trial related to solar hybrid projects for rural schools in Sarawak.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan dismissed the request and said he was unwilling to prevent the media from reporting on the testimony of Rizal, 46, the 21st prosecution witness.
The Rosmah defense team had previously objected to certain parts of Rizal’s witness statement, which they claimed, among other things, was highly damaging and amounted to murder of character.
Lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh said the court should issue an order so that the media cannot report on the disputing parts of Rizal’s witness statement that was read during the chief questioning of the prosecution.
He said the court should first make a decision on whether the disputing parties in the witness statement were admissible.
“The evidence has yet to be proven on admissibility. The (disputed parts) of the witness statement are extremely damaging and should not be published as they harm our client as it is a pure character murder,” he said.
Lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader also said that, in the interests of justice, the disputed part of the witness statement should not be published (by the media) until the end of the case.
Judge Mohamed Zaini, however, said the court would not prohibit the media from covering Rizal’s testimony in today’s proceedings.
“I do not agree with banning media information. You (the defense) have the freedom to question the witness,” the judge said before directing Rizal to continue reading his 46-page statement.
Rosmah, 68, the wife of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, is on trial on one count of soliciting RM187.5 thousand and two counts of receiving bribes totaling RM6.5 thousand from former Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
The bribes were allegedly received through Rizal as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the Integrated Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Project, as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel generator sets, for 369 rural Sarawak schools worth RM1. 25 billion from the Ministry of Education. through direct negotiation.
The acts were allegedly committed at Lygon Café, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra here; Rosmah residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta and Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya between January 2016 and September 2017. – Bernama
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