Rosmah In Push For Sri Ram To Show Licence To Prosecute

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Rosmah Mansor is accused of accepting millions in bribes connected to a solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.PETALING JAYA: Rosmah Mansor, who is facing corruption charges in connection with the supply and installation of solar energy panels at 369 rural schools in Sarawak, has filed an application to compel ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram to produce his licence to prosecute
The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak has also asked that her trial, scheduled to resume on Monday, be halted pending the result of her application
Lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kadir, a member of Rosmah’s legal team, said the motion was filed on Wednesday
“Sri Ram did not produce the certificate before the trial started. We want it to be tendered to the trial judge,” he told FMT
In an immediate response, deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Mustaffa Kunyalam said the prosecution would be objecting to the application
“We will be filing an affidavit in reply today (Friday),” he added
Sri Ram, a former Federal Court judge, was appointed as prosecutor on Aug 31, 2018 to oversee investigations and lead the prosecution team in 1MDB trials involving Najib and others
He was also tasked with conducting Rosmah’s trial
Rosmah is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director and majority shareholder Saidi Abang Samsudin as an inducement to help the company secure a solar hybrid project for the schools in Sarawak
She is also accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017
The defence is expected to cross-examine the 12th prosecution witness, former education ministry secretary-general Alias Ahmad, when the trial resumes before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan
Thirty-one days have been set aside for hearing, from July to November
Last month, Najib also applied to disqualify Sri Ram from leading the prosecution team in his 1MDB audit report tampering trial on grounds of bias

Zaini, who is presiding over that case as well, will hear the matter on Aug 7. - FMT

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