Rosmah files to recuse judge, postpone solar case verdict

On the eve of Rosmah Mansor’s verdict in her corruption case linked to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project, the wife of former premier Najib Abdul Razak has filed to recuse trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Her lawyers filed the recusal application yesterday, which seeks to postpone tomorrow's decision before the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The criminal court had set Sept 1 for the verdict in the graft case, which will either see her walk free or be convicted and sentenced.

Incidentally, a civil court yesterday dismissed Rosmah’s second bid to recuse former federal court judge Gopal Sri Ram from being part of the prosecution team in the solar case.

When contacted today, her defence counsel Akberdin Abdul Kader confirmed the filing of the recusal application and that the prosecution was made aware of it.

According to a copy of the application filed at the High Court (criminal jurisdiction), Rosmah contended that she has lost faith in the judge's ability to hear her corruption case following the recent alleged leak of a judgment that purportedly pronounced her guilty in the matter.

Zaini’s capability questioned

Rosmah claimed to have read an article by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin titled 'Rosmah Mansor will be pronounced guilty on Sept 1’ dated Aug 26 on Malaysia Today.

She contended that the alleged leaked judgment that went viral made her question Zaini’s capability to carry out his duty fairly and impartially without the influence of a third party.

She alleged that the purported leaked judgment, which was supposedly prepared by a third party other than Zaini, showed a violation of the Judges’ Code of Ethics and Judicial Officers’ Code of Ethics.

She claimed that the incident had attracted various criticisms, perceptions and accusations on the capability, fairness, equality, wisdom and integrity of the court to preside over the solar graft case.

“The applicant (Rosmah) was shocked upon finding the content of the article which stated that a decision/judgment for the solar case was finished, but was not prepared by Zaini, but on his behalf.

“The applicant respectfully states that the revelation by the writer of the article has made the applicant lose confidence in Zaini to be the judge for the solar case, what more for him to give the verdict at the end of the overall case scheduled for Sept 1,” she contended.

According to the online cause list, the application is set to come up before Zaini tomorrow.

The scheduled verdict is over one charge of Rosmah allegedly soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of her purportedly receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director Saidi Abang Samsuddin, through her former special officer Rizal Mansor.

It was allegedly done as an inducement to help the company to secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project and Maintenance and Operation of Genset/Diesel for 369 Sarawak rural schools.

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