KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor arrived about six minutes ahead of her scheduled hearing on the decision of her corruption charges relating to the solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, this morning.
Rosmah, 70, clad in a blush-gold baju kurung, was seen walking into the courthouse at around 8.54am, as the hearing was scheduled to begin at 9am before High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.
The court complex has been filled with heavy media and police presence since 7am. However, no supporters were spotted, neither were her children sighted.
Rosmah filed an application to recuse Judge Mohamed Zaini yesterday, on the grounds of the purported leaked judgment in her case.
The application will be heard this morning.
The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is facing one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings' former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.
Rosmah had, on Nov 15, 2018, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to two corruption charges.
On the first count, she was charged with dishonestly soliciting for herself, through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor, a gratification of RM187.5 million, which was 15 per cent of the value of the contract from Saidi.
It was as an inducement to help the company (Jepak Holdings) to secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry.
On the second count, Rosmah was charged with dishonestly receiving for herself RM1.5 million from Saidi for the same purpose at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, here on Sept 7, 2017.
On April 10, 2019, Rosmah was charged again in the Sessions Court here with accepting gratification of RM5 million from Saidi through Rizal for helping Jepak Holdings to secure the same project on Dec 20, 2016, at Seri Perdana residence in Putrajaya.
She faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.