Rosmah's trial: RM5mil cash was for 'RM', says witness
THE STAR
Thursday, 20 Feb 20204:32 PM MYT
By Hanis Zainal and Rashvinjeet S. Bedi
KUALA LUMPUR: The RM5mil in cash that was transported to a residential unit in the Pavilion building in the city was meant for "RM", the High Court heard.
Razak Othman, who is the eighth prosecution witness for Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial, said this was Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin's reply when he asked who the money he helped transport was meant for.
Earlier, Razak, 52, told the court that he and Saidi had carried two luggage bags filled with RM5mil of cash into the unit in Pavilion, sometime in December.
Razak, however, could not recall the date or which year the incident occurred.
"A month or two after the incident, Saidi told me that the money was meant for RM.
"At that time, I didn't know who he meant and I also didn't ask him further about the matter as I could sense that Saidi wanted to keep it a secret from me," he told the court.
He also testified that as they delivered the money to the unit, there were two men who were already there.
"I saw two Chinese looking men waiting in the room. I can't recognise them as I only saw them at a glance," he said.
He said he could not be certain if one of them was Rosmah's aide, Datuk Rizal Mansor, as he did not know him at the time.
Earlier, Razak also said that he had accompanied Saidi to a Maybank branch in Jalan Tuanku, Kuala Lumpur, to withdraw the RM5mil before heading to Pavilion.
He said the money was in denominations of RM100, adding that this was divided into both the luggage bags in equal amounts of RM2.5mil each.
Razak told the court that he was a business partner of Saidi and has known him for 12 years.
On Nov 15,2018, Rosmah had claimed trial to two charges of graft involving RM187.5mil related to projects to provide electricity to schools in Sarawak.
According to the first charge, Rosmah was accused of soliciting for herself a RM187.5mil bribe from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor.
The money was allegedly a reward for helping Jepak Holdings obtain a project, through direct negotiations with the Education Ministry, to install solar hybrid systems and for the maintenance and operation of diesel generators for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
The project, known as 'Project Bersepadu Sistem Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Hibrid', was valued at RM1.25bil; and RM187.5mil is 15% of that amount.
Rosmah allegedly committed the offence at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall in Jalan Putra here between January and April 2016.
In the second charge, she was accused of receiving RM1.5mil from Saidi as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings obtain the same project.
The offence was allegedly committed at her house in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, on Sept 7,2017.
On April 10,2019, Rosmah was charged again for allegedly receiving a bribe of RM5mil from Saidi through Rizal, for the same purpose.
She allegedly committed the offence at Seri Perdana Residence, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya, on Dec 20,2016.
All of the charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
Rosmah faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.
Thursday, 20 Feb 20204:32 PM MYT
By Hanis Zainal and Rashvinjeet S. Bedi
KUALA LUMPUR: The RM5mil in cash that was transported to a residential unit in the Pavilion building in the city was meant for "RM", the High Court heard.
Razak Othman, who is the eighth prosecution witness for Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial, said this was Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin's reply when he asked who the money he helped transport was meant for.
Earlier, Razak, 52, told the court that he and Saidi had carried two luggage bags filled with RM5mil of cash into the unit in Pavilion, sometime in December.
Razak, however, could not recall the date or which year the incident occurred.
"A month or two after the incident, Saidi told me that the money was meant for RM.
"At that time, I didn't know who he meant and I also didn't ask him further about the matter as I could sense that Saidi wanted to keep it a secret from me," he told the court.
He also testified that as they delivered the money to the unit, there were two men who were already there.
"I saw two Chinese looking men waiting in the room. I can't recognise them as I only saw them at a glance," he said.
He said he could not be certain if one of them was Rosmah's aide, Datuk Rizal Mansor, as he did not know him at the time.
Earlier, Razak also said that he had accompanied Saidi to a Maybank branch in Jalan Tuanku, Kuala Lumpur, to withdraw the RM5mil before heading to Pavilion.
He said the money was in denominations of RM100, adding that this was divided into both the luggage bags in equal amounts of RM2.5mil each.
Razak told the court that he was a business partner of Saidi and has known him for 12 years.
On Nov 15,2018, Rosmah had claimed trial to two charges of graft involving RM187.5mil related to projects to provide electricity to schools in Sarawak.
According to the first charge, Rosmah was accused of soliciting for herself a RM187.5mil bribe from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor.
The money was allegedly a reward for helping Jepak Holdings obtain a project, through direct negotiations with the Education Ministry, to install solar hybrid systems and for the maintenance and operation of diesel generators for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
The project, known as 'Project Bersepadu Sistem Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Hibrid', was valued at RM1.25bil; and RM187.5mil is 15% of that amount.
Rosmah allegedly committed the offence at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall in Jalan Putra here between January and April 2016.
In the second charge, she was accused of receiving RM1.5mil from Saidi as a reward for assisting Jepak Holdings obtain the same project.
The offence was allegedly committed at her house in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, on Sept 7,2017.
On April 10,2019, Rosmah was charged again for allegedly receiving a bribe of RM5mil from Saidi through Rizal, for the same purpose.
She allegedly committed the offence at Seri Perdana Residence, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya, on Dec 20,2016.
All of the charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
Rosmah faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.
