AFTER all the hoo-ha over Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)-related conviction being upheld and the former prime minister jailed, Malaysians must be wondering: who’s next?

Well, they may not have to wait long as the Court of Appeal is slated to rule tomorrow (Aug 26) on former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim’s long-drawn appeal to strike out his corruption and money laundering case against him.

The appeal – which has taken up a year already and was expected to be ruled on in March but was vacated upon request – was previously scheduled for July 1.

It was postponed after the appellate court was informed by the defence that new leads had been discovered in the case and a letter of representation to that effect had been sent by them to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

By doing so, the defence aims to seek alternative ways to resolve the court case, such as a withdrawal of the criminal charge in full or replacing it with a lesser offence, according to Malaysiakini and Abdul Azeez’s lawyers.

After the prosecution said they had instructions not to object to the postponement bid as Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun needed time to look into the new developments, the three-person Court of Appeal bench allowed the postponement to tomorrow.

Azeez is facing three charges of receiving bribes worth RM5.2 mil in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah between 2017 and 2018, and 10 counts of money laundering involving a total of RM13.9 mil that he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between 2010 and 2018.

The hearing of the Baling MP’s case began on August 19, 2020, in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, where seven prosecution witnesses have been called to testify.

On March 12, the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed the UMNO leader to adjourn the hearing of the Sessions Court case pending the outcome of his appeal in the Court of Appeal.

Rosmah’s corruption case

Meanwhile, the High Court is expected to rule on Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s RM1.25 bil corruption case next Thursday (Sept 1) morning.

Trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan was expected to deliver his ruling in July as to whether to acquit or convict Rosmah of the three corruption charges involving a hybrid solar project for rural schools in Sarawak.

During case management last month, however, both parties insisted on a September date for the decision, even after Mohamed Zaini said he wanted to deliver his ruling this month.

Rosmah is facing one count of soliciting RM187.5 mil and two counts of receiving bribes totaling RM6.5 mil from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.

The bribes were allegedly received through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings to secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated project as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel generator sets for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25 bil from the Education Ministry through direct negotiation.

On Feb 18 last year, Rosmah was ordered to enter her defence on the three charges after the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.

On June 24 this year, Rosmah filed her latest application to challenge the appointment of Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor in the corruption case and asked for the whole trial, which started in 2018, to be declared null and void.

The High Court fixed next Tuesday (Aug 30) to decide on the bid.

Rosmah had previously filed a similar application at the Kuala Lumpur Criminal High Court. However, her application was rejected by the High Court, as were her subsequent appeals to the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

Other major ongoing court battles involving politicians include the criminal court cases of UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and former finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

On Tuesday (Aug 23), the Federal Court rejected Najib’s final appeal in his RM42 mil SRC International corruption case and upheld his seven charges of power abuse, criminal breach of trust and money laundering, RM210 mil fine and 12-year jail sentence. – Aug 25, 2022

https://focusmalaysia.my/whos-next-after-najib-rulings-in-baling-mp-rosmahs-graft-cases-soon/