KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has asked the Court of Appeal to admit fresh evidence in her appeal against her conviction in the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project corruption case, alleging that a prosecution witness was pressured into giving evidence that incriminated her, FMT reported.
It is understood that Rosmah filed a notice of motion dated July 21 seeking permission to rely on three additional documents during the hearing of her appeal.
The application was made under Section 61 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 and Rules 68 and 69 of the Court of Appeal Rules 1994.
In an affidavit supporting the application, Rosmah claimed that prosecution witness Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah had been pressured into giving incriminating evidence during her High Court trial.
The allegation has yet to be determined by the Court of Appeal.
The documents she is seeking to introduce include a covering letter from Messrs Shamsuddin & Co dated July 10, a police report lodged by Rayyan on the same day, and a statutory declaration sworn by him on July 10.
The statutory declaration includes several attachments, among them a supplementary affidavit dated August 3, 2020.
Rosmah is also seeking permission to recall Rayyan to give further evidence before either the Court of Appeal or the High Court.
Should the application be allowed, she wants his additional oral testimony to be recorded and admitted as fresh evidence in the appeal.
The application is scheduled to be heard on September 1.
Rosmah has also asked the court to stay the substantive appeal, which is scheduled to be heard over 11 days from September 1 to September 30, until the fresh-evidence application is resolved.
Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was convicted by the High Court on September 2, 2022, of three corruption charges linked to the solar hybrid project.
High Court judge Datuk Zaini Mazlan found her guilty of soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide, Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help the company secure the project.
Rosmah was also convicted of receiving RM5 million from Saidi through Rizal at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya on December 20, 2016, and a further RM1.5 million at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta on September 7, 2017.
She was sentenced to 10 years in prison on each charge, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.
The court also imposed a RM970 million fine and ordered Rosmah to serve an additional 10 years in prison if she fails to pay it.
