Court of Appeal stays Rosmah’s additional evidence hearing pending Federal Court appeal

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 17 — The Court of Appeal has granted the prosecution's request to pause the hearing of additional evidence from a crucial prosecution witness in Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's corruption case concerning the RM1.25 billion Sarawak solar hybrid project. The three-member panel led by Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli allowed the application following Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanipah's confirmation that Rosmah did not contest the request.

Both parties consented to the stay of the Court of Appeal's order from September 1 until the Federal Court's decision on the prosecution's appeal, the panel stated. The court has scheduled October 7 for case management via e-Review and postponed the main appeal, initially set for this October. The Court of Appeal had previously granted Rosmah's application to introduce additional evidence involving the 16th prosecution witness, businessman Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, to be heard before a High Court judge.

Mohd Asnawi informed that the initial proceedings were intended for the application to suspend the execution of the High Court order, but the parties later agreed to the stay pending the Federal Court's decision. Rosmah, 74, had sought to introduce a police report and a statutory declaration from businessman Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, who alleged pressure from the prosecution during the trial and challenged the credibility of his testimony.

On September 1, 2022, Rosmah was convicted of three corruption charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for each charge, to run concurrently, with a fine of RM970 million. She received a stay of execution pending her appeal.