Rosmah meddled in govt affairs when Najib was PM, says judge
Judge Zaini Mazlan said it was clear from an audio recording, purportedly of a conversation between Rosmah Mansor and Najib Razak over 1MDB matters, that she gave instructions to the former prime minister on government affairs. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Rosmah Mansor interfered in government affairs when her husband Najib Razak was prime minister (between 2009 and 2018), the High Court said.
Judge Zaini Mazlan said this was based on an audio recording, purportedly of a conversation between her and Najib over 1MDB matters, and testimonies of prosecution witnesses.
“It is clear from the recording that the accused (Rosmah) gave instructions to Najib on government affairs,” he said in his 116-page judgment that found her guilty of three corruption charges linked to the RM1.25 billion Sarawak rural schools’ solar energy project.
He said Rosmah’s tone was commanding, and was contrary to her contention that she heeded Najib’s prohibition on not meddling in government affairs.
“I say with the greatest respect that it is apparent that the accused dominates Najib. She has control over him. She has no business interfering in Najib’s duties or government affairs, but she did,” Zaini said.
He, however, said Rosmah had attempted to downplay the conversation by relating it to a typical conversation between a husband and wife.
The judge said her ex-aide Rizal Mansor was telling the truth when the latter testified that she had an overbearing nature and an ability to influence decisions in the civil service.
The judge noted that Rizal had worked for Rosmah for many years and would have been able to witness this personally.
Zaini said he had no reason to doubt former education minister Mahdzir Khalid and former education ministry secretary-general Madinah Mohamad who positively identified the voices as that of Najib and Rosmah.
During cross-examination by ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, Rosmah dismissed the contents of the recording as “utterly rubbish”.
The prosecution had tendered the recording to substantiate its claim that Rosmah, though she did not occupy any official position, wielded considerable influence by reason of her overbearing nature.
The recording was also to show that she pushed senior education ministry officials for the project to be given to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd.
The court found that she had solicited RM187.5 million from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through Rizal as an inducement to help the company secure the RM1.25 billion project.
She received a RM5 million bribe from Saidi, through Rizal, at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on Dec 20, 2016, and another RM1.5 million from Saidi at Jalan Langgak Duta on Sept 7, 2017.
Bernama also reported Zaini as saying that corruption had reached almost every level of society and as such, it must be curtailed before it becomes a pandemic.
The judge said if corruption was left unchecked, society would come to accept it as a way of life or doing business.
Zaini sentenced Rosmah to 10 years in prison for each of the three graft charges, and ordered her sentences to run concurrently.
KUALA LUMPUR: Rosmah Mansor interfered in government affairs when her husband Najib Razak was prime minister (between 2009 and 2018), the High Court said.
Judge Zaini Mazlan said this was based on an audio recording, purportedly of a conversation between her and Najib over 1MDB matters, and testimonies of prosecution witnesses.
“It is clear from the recording that the accused (Rosmah) gave instructions to Najib on government affairs,” he said in his 116-page judgment that found her guilty of three corruption charges linked to the RM1.25 billion Sarawak rural schools’ solar energy project.
He said Rosmah’s tone was commanding, and was contrary to her contention that she heeded Najib’s prohibition on not meddling in government affairs.
“I say with the greatest respect that it is apparent that the accused dominates Najib. She has control over him. She has no business interfering in Najib’s duties or government affairs, but she did,” Zaini said.
He, however, said Rosmah had attempted to downplay the conversation by relating it to a typical conversation between a husband and wife.
The judge said her ex-aide Rizal Mansor was telling the truth when the latter testified that she had an overbearing nature and an ability to influence decisions in the civil service.
The judge noted that Rizal had worked for Rosmah for many years and would have been able to witness this personally.
Zaini said he had no reason to doubt former education minister Mahdzir Khalid and former education ministry secretary-general Madinah Mohamad who positively identified the voices as that of Najib and Rosmah.
During cross-examination by ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, Rosmah dismissed the contents of the recording as “utterly rubbish”.
The prosecution had tendered the recording to substantiate its claim that Rosmah, though she did not occupy any official position, wielded considerable influence by reason of her overbearing nature.
The recording was also to show that she pushed senior education ministry officials for the project to be given to Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd.
The court found that she had solicited RM187.5 million from Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through Rizal as an inducement to help the company secure the RM1.25 billion project.
She received a RM5 million bribe from Saidi, through Rizal, at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on Dec 20, 2016, and another RM1.5 million from Saidi at Jalan Langgak Duta on Sept 7, 2017.
Bernama also reported Zaini as saying that corruption had reached almost every level of society and as such, it must be curtailed before it becomes a pandemic.
The judge said if corruption was left unchecked, society would come to accept it as a way of life or doing business.
Zaini sentenced Rosmah to 10 years in prison for each of the three graft charges, and ordered her sentences to run concurrently.
Korek..korek..korek..
ReplyDeleteI remember clearly, the bail-jumper (law breaker) of Manchester once wrote in one of his article, this self-proclaimed First Lady used to chair military procurement meeting with decision makers in the military when her husband was the Defence Minister. Bail-jumper also wrote another article wholly critcising this woman "self-proclamation"
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