PUTRAJAYA (Oct 22): The two-day hearing of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s appeal against her conviction and sentence of 10 years’ jail and RM970 million fine over the 369 solar hybrid rural schools project graft case, scheduled on Wednesday (Oct 23), has been postponed.

Besides this, Rosmah is also appealing for the recusal of trial judge (now Court of Appeal judge) Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, who had decided to stay on and deliver his verdict on her.

It is learnt that Rosmah’s defence team, which comprises Datuk Jagjit Singh and Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, had written to Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, who had allowed the adjournment.

Following that, a case management date has been fixed for Nov 7 to possibly fix a new hearing date.

The postponed date of Oct 23 had been set back in April.

The postponement was confirmed by court officials in Putrajaya, who had earlier asked the media to register their interest in covering the appeal.

Rosmah, 72, was found guilty by the High Court in 2022 of soliciting RM187.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin for the RM1.25 billion project awarded by the Education Ministry between April and August 2016.

She was also accused of receiving RM5 million and RM1.5 million from Saidi at her private residence in Jalan Langgak Duta and at the then-prime minister's official residence in Seri Perdana between Dec 20, 2016, and Sept 7, 2017.

All three charges are framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

She was found guilty after Zaini found that Rosmah’s defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt on the allegation over her receiving the bribe money.

However, Rosmah, who is the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had cited 127 grounds in her appeal.

Read also:
Rosmah found guilty of all charges, sentenced to 10 years' jail and record RM970 mil fine
October hearing for Rosmah's appeal in solar project graft trial