KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 1): Lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram said he was neither "happy nor unhappy" with the verdict and sentence in Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s graft trial pertaining to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

Speaking to reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex lobby after Rosmah's judgement, he said the prosecution was merely doing its job.

"We are not happy or unhappy with anything. We are just doing our jobs and move on to the next case," he said when asked if he was happy with the sentence and the fine imposed on Rosmah.

He added: "It is not our role to be happy about someone else's grief."

Earlier, the High Court found Rosmah guilty on all three counts of graft and sentenced her to 10 years' jail and imposed a fine of a whopping RM970 million, the largest figure ever imposed by the High Court for a graft case.

In delivering the verdict, High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan ruled that Rosmah’s defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case.

Sri Ram also said that all the credit should go to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and his team of deputy public prosecutors, whom he said had been "his strength".

The DPPs included Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mohd Mustafa P Kunyalam, Poh Yih Tinn and Deepa Nair Thevaharan.

When asked if the sentencing was proper and fair, the former judge said that sentencing was never an easy task.

"I can tell you one has to throw so many things in the balance. The judge probably thought 10 years was fair," he said.

He said that the purpose of such trials was to send a clear message to would-be offenders and stop them dead in their tracks.

Elaborating on the sentencing, he said that it was a normal submission made in a graft case.

"Corruption is a very evil thing and I think the Malaysian public realise it is an evil that we can do without.

"So the Malaysian public whom we all serve are entitled to receive their share of justice. Justice is not only to the accused it is also to the state," he said.

Meanwhile, at a press conference, Rosmah's counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh asks who could afford the fine of almost RM1 billion.

"The amount of fine comes up to RM970 million, almost RM1 billion. You tell me, who can afford that money?

"[And that too] from our client who doesn't have any source of income. Is this what we call justice?"

He said that the fine imposed was "unprecedented" and the largest in Malaysian legal history.

He said that he will be filing the appeal within the prescribed time — 14 days — and may even file an appeal on Friday.

Rosmah, 70, was charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from Jepak Holding’s former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin of the RM1.25 billion project that was awarded by the Education Ministry between April to August 2016.

The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was also accused of receiving two payments of RM5 million and RM1.5 million from Saidi — at her private residence on Jalan Langgak Duta and at the then prime minister’s official residence Seri Perdana between Dec 20, 2016 and Sept 7, 2017.