BERNAMA
09/09/2020 08:31 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 -- Datuk Rizal Mansor today told the High Court here that Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor received RM6.5 million in cash from the former managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, Saidi Abang Samsudin as reward for the wife of the former prime minister for helping the company to secure the solar hybrid project in Sarawak.
The former special officer to Rosmah said the cash in two sums, RM5 million and RM1.5 million were sent to Rosmah separately at her official residence at Seri Perdana Complex, Putrajaya at the end of December 2016 and in Langgak Duta in early September 2017.
Relating on how the cash of RM5 million was sent to Seri Perdana, Rizal said at the end of December 2016, Saidi informed him that he was prepared to pay RM5 million as part of the RM187.5 million promised to Rosmah.
Rizal, 46, said Rosmah later ordered him to send the cash money to her official residence in Seri Perdana as she in that house at the time and upon arrival, she ordered two butlers to carry the two bags containing RM5 million cash into the house.
“I later met Datin Seri Rosmah with the two bags. She later asked me how much”? and I replied “five” to mean RM5 million. Datin Seri Rosmah did not open the two bags and ordered the butlers to send the bags to her room. I later left the place,” he said when reading his witness statement in a direct examination by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib.
The 21st prosecution witness said several days after that, he asked Rosmah whether she was satisfied with receiving the RM5 million cash from Saidi.
"She (Rosmah) told me that she needed lots of money for politics and told me with the meaning “get them to take care of you” . Them refers Saidi and Rayyan (Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah was Saidi’s business partner).
“I thought she (Rosmah) said that thinking that I wanted some of the money for myself as reward. Datin Seri Rosmah did not that Saidi had promised to give me RM25 million and I had received RM500,000 at that time,” he said.
Rizal said after receiving the RM5 million, Rosmah frequently asked him on the remaining payment which should be made by Jepak to her.
"I received the queries from her (Rosmah) as an instruction to expedite the process to obtain the remaining payment promised. As such I had to press Saidi to expedite the remaining payment to Datin Seri Rosmah,” he said.
According to the prosecution witness, Saidi told him one day that he had brought RM1.5 million cash in two back packs which were later placed in the second hall of Rosmah’s house in Langgak Duta in early September 2017.
“I also saw Datin Seri Rosmah ordering her butlers to carry the two back packs brought by Saidi to her room,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rizal said he also knew of a quarrel between Saidi and Rayyan after Saidi did not pay the share demanded by Rayyan in the solar hybrid project.
“What I understand was that Saidi had taken their money and Rayyan asked me to reveal Saidi’s misdeed to Datin Seri Rosmah. I told Rayyan to settle the matter himself with Saidi and I did not want to take side in the quarrel.
"As I refuse to support Rayyan, he threatened me that he would disclose the involvement of Datin Seri Rosmah, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Datuk Aazmey (Pekan UMNO secretary, Datuk Ahmad Aazmey Abu Talib) and myself over the award of the solar hybrid project to Jepak. Rayyan also told me that he would make sure I go to jail for my involvement in the matter,” he said.
According to Rizal, after the 14th general election, and after the matter was exposed by Sarawak Report, he was investigated for his involvement on the award of the solar project to Jepak.
"After finding out that Saidi and Rayyan had been detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), I panicked and decided to flee to Jakarta, Indonesia. Eventually, I decided to return to Malaysia after finding out that i cannot be running away forever and need to face the situation.
"On the day, I was present at MACC (for investigation), I was detained and remanded for six days. After that I was charged in court on four counts,” he said.
Rosmah is facing one charge for soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Saidi.
According to the charge, Rosmah received the bribes through Rizal as reward for assisting Jepak Holdings secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project, as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel gen-sets, for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25 billion from the Education Ministry through direct negotiation.
The acts were allegedly committed at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra here; Rosmah’s residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta and at Seri Perdana, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya between January 2016 and Sept 2017.
The trial before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues on Monday.
-- BERNAMA
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