Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (May 28): The High Court has fixed June 28 to hear the application by the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) to transfer the second solar project bribery charge faced by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor from the Sessions Court to High Court.

The charge concerns her alleged receipt of RM5 million in connection with the solar hybrid system project.

Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn told reporters about the hearing date after the case was called up for mention before High Court deputy registrar Mahyudin Mohmad Som today.

AGC made the transfer application on the basis that the first bribery charge faced by Rosmah over the same solar project had been transferred to the High Court.

According to AGC, both cases shared facts which meet the "same transaction" requirement under Section 165(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

On Nov 15 last year, Rosmah, 67, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to two counts of receiving bribes, totalling RM1.5 million, in the implementation of the project to supply and install solar energy at 369 rural schools in Sarawak two years ago.

The case was then allowed to transfer to the High Court on March 15.

On April 10, Rosmah was slapped with another charge for receiving a bribe involving RM5 million in connection with the same solar project.

However, the prosecution amended the charge sheet by changing the locality of the alleged crime from her Taman Duta residence to the official residence of the Prime Minister in Seri Perdana, Putrajaya, when the case was called for mention on May 10.

According to the amended charge sheet, Rosmah was alleged to have received RM5 million from Saidi Abang Samsudin, 59, the managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor.

The amount was allegedly solicited by Rosmah as an inducement to help the company secure a tender through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry, worth RM1.25 billion, for a solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

The offence was allegedly committed at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Presint 10, 62250 Putrajaya, on Dec 20, 2016.

The charge, under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009, provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification of RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

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