KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 23): The High Court on Thursday (Dec 23) ordered Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's graft trial to proceed despite her yellow MySejahtera status, with several members of her household said to be positive with Covid-19.
Her lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh told Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that his client's status was still yellow as was on Dec 8.
"Furthermore, certain members of the household have already been infected. Three of them are red in colour for [their MySejahtera status] — that is positive for Covid-19. The fourth one is listed as a casual contact," he said.
"Hence, I seek the court's directions regarding this," the lawyer added.
Following this, Justice Zaini ordered Rosmah to come in. Prior to that, she was waiting in the witness room of the court.
The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is on trial for three charges in relation to a RM1.25 billion project to equip 369 schools in rural Sarawak with solar hybrid power.
The 70-year-old is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor as a reward for assisting the managing director secure the solar hybrid project.
Previously, the solar hybrid project trial on Dec 8 and 10 had to be postponed due to Rosmah's MySejahtera status.
Senior Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram then asked Rosmah if she was showing disrespect to the court, following her failure to return from Singapore by Nov 22 as directed by Justice Zaini, after she was allowed to travel to see her daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib, who had just delivered her second child.
Rosmah's counsels Datuk Jagjit Singh and Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader then rose to explain their client's position, while also questioning the relevancy of such a question in the proceedings to impeach her.
After being asked by Justice Zaini to answer and with Sri Ram repeating his question, Rosmah disagreed that she was disrespecting the court.
In the Court of Appeal proceedings earlier this month, Sri Ram sought a warrant of arrest issued against Rosmah as she was not present in the proceedings of her appeal to declare her trial a nullity and disqualify the former Federal Court judge from continuing in leading the prosecution.
While the Court of Appeal did not agree to issue a warrant of arrest, Rosmah's appeal had to be postponed and heard on Dec 6, where the appellate court dismissed the appeal.
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