PUTRAJAYA (July 1): Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's appeal against her 2022 conviction and sentence in the graft case involving the solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak has been postponed once again. 

A three-member panel led by Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli granted the application to allow Rosmah's related review application at the Federal Court to be heard and to give additional time to one of her counsels, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, who is dealing with a period of bereavement.

In granting the adjournment on Wednesday, Azhahari said the court had previously indicated that the main appeal should be adjourned until all avenues of appeal had been exhausted, and that this would now extend to the review application.

The court has now set a total of 16 days in September for the appeal to be heard. The dates are Sept 1-4, Sept 8-11 and Sept 21-30.

Addressing the parties, Azhahari said: "However, we say this and we are serious about this. Since this is a 2022 case, it's an ageing case. We fix the case for hearing on these following dates [...], we are not compromising on these dates."

The panel warned that the appeal must begin and conclude within that period.

The panel on Wednesday also comprised Court of Appeal judges Datuk Dr Choo Kah Sing and Datuk K Muniandy.

Notably, Muniandy was the High Court judge who granted Rosmah a full acquittal in her money-laundering and tax evasion case. He allowed Rosmah's application to strike out the case back in December 2024.

Addressing the panel, Datuk Jagjit Singh applied for an adjournment on Wednesday so that Rosmah's review application, arising from her bid to recuse trial judge Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan on the grounds of two draft notes, or a leaked "judgement", could be disposed of first. 

Rosmah is seeking a retrial of the solar graft case, claiming that the alleged "leaked judgements" caused her to lose confidence in the trial judge.

The Federal Court dismissed her appeal in March this year, following which Rosmah filed an application for a review of the decision.

Jagjit impressed upon the court that the review application, which is scheduled to be heard on July 29, would have a bearing on the main criminal appeal.

The senior lawyer also broke down in tears as he explained that his co-counsel and "figurative brother", Akberdin, was still mourning two deaths in his family.

Akberdin's son died in a car crash last month. His death came shortly after the tragic loss of Akberdin's infant grandson, who died in a freak accident.

"This is the first time we are applying for an adjournment. We have not applied before. We are asking on bended knees. Please grant this adjournment," he said.

It should be noted that the solar appeal had never commenced previously due to the long-pending recusal application.

The prosecution, led by deputy public prosecutor K Mangai, objected to the adjournment, citing that this has been a long-pending appeal.

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