Ask prosecution witnesses why they concoct lies against me - Rosmah
Rosmah Mansor testified today that only prosecution witnesses would know why they allegedly gave false testimony in her solar project corruption case, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
The wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said this whenever lead deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram grilled her over her contention that the witnesses colluded with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to falsely implicate her of wrongdoing.
Yesterday...
Rosmah Mansor testified today that only prosecution witnesses would know why they allegedly gave false testimony in her solar project corruption case, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
The wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak said this whenever lead deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram grilled her over her contention that the witnesses colluded with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to falsely implicate her of wrongdoing.
Yesterday, Rosmah broke down in tears during the trial, as she claimed that the case against her was selective and malicious prosecution against her.
She had also questioned why certain prosecution witnesses - like then education minister Mahdzir Khalid, former education ministry secretaries-general Madinah Mohamed and Alias Ahmad, Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, and Rizal Mansor (whom she denied being her special officer then) - were not charged in relation to the project awarded to Jepak Holdings.
Rosmah claimed that the prosecution, instead of charging these witnesses, had called them to testify and “point fingers” against her, who had no official position in government and was unable to greenlight the project.
During today’s cross-examination against Rosmah, Sri Ram asked a series of questions on why these witnesses would ever concoct lies against the accused.
Each time, Rosmah would answer along the lines of “That you have to ask him/her”.
However, during prodding by Sri Ram, she conceded that she never had any quarrel or arguments with them in the past.
Sri Ram: Why would Mahdzir lie about you?
Rosmah: That you have to ask him.
Sri Ram: Why would Madinah concoct such a story?
Rosmah: You have to ask her.
Sri Ram: Can you give a reason?
Rosmah: No.
She also dismissed as untrue several assertions by Sri Ram linked to the corruption case, such as that it was her modus operandi to get Rizal to get bribe money from Saidi.
However, she conceded under the DPP’s questioning that she helped put a recommendation in Rizal’s bid for a Datukship title.
Two days ago in the defence’s opening statement, Rosmah contended that Rizal was the mastermind in the solar corruption case, whereby he allegedly used her name (without her consent) to obtain bribes for himself while she remained unaware about it, among other claims.
During her first day on the witness stand in her defence two days ago, Rosmah claimed that Rizal was not an efficient and responsible worker with alleged disciplinary problems when he was the media officer to the First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division in the Prime Minister’s Department.
When asked by Sri Ram today why she assisted Rizal to get the Datukship, the accused replied because she sympathised with him.
Sri Ram: You helped him get a Datukship?
Rosmah: Saya kesian (I sympathised with him).
Trial before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan will resume on Oct 21.
Rosmah, 70, is facing three charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
In the first charge, she is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd to help secure an Education Ministry project.
The RM1.25 billion project was intended to supply power to 369 rural schools in Sarawak using a combination of solar and diesel energy.
In the second and third charges, she is accused of receiving RM1.5 million and RM5 million in bribes respectively as a reward for securing the project.
On Feb 18 this year, the High Court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence, following its finding that the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against her.
Today is the third day of the defence stage of the trial.
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