‘MACC officer incompetent’
Rosmah’s defence slams investigator’s lack of legwork
KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s legal team has asserted that the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) officer responsible for investigating her graft case is incompetent.
Lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork made the assertion when he suggested the investigating officer, Noornabilah Mohd Aziman, had failed to carry out her duty because she did not “go to the ground” to meet witnesses.
He suggested that the investigation was done just to charge his client in court.
Noornabilah, who was under cross-examination, admitted that she only compiled documents from other investigating officers before preparing investigation papers.
She agreed with the suggestion that this was a normal practice in the MACC.
Noornabilah also admitted that she did not verify the serial numbers on the money involved in the case with Bank Negara.
The 23rd prosecution witness continued to be grilled by the defence yesterday, particularly on her credibility as the investigating officer.
Co-counsel Datuk Akberdin
Abdul Kadir, again, accused the
MACC of practising selective prosecution against Rosmah and had called Noornabilah “incompetent” for not being thorough with her probe.
“I am sorry to say this but you are a very passive IO (investigating officer). It shows you were very incompetent.
“You don’t seem to know anything. You are not contributing anything to this case,” he added.
After two days of gruelling cross-examination, Noornabilah, who is the prosecution’s final witness, was released from the stand.
Meanwhile, former education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid is expected to be recalled to the stand when the trial resumes for further cross-examination.
The Padang Terap MP, who is currently under home quarantine until Monday, was initially scheduled to testify on Oct 5.
The court is also expected to hear an application by the prosecution on the admissibility of the MACC’s audio recordings between Rosmah and her husband, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The prosecution will be applying to admit the recordings – infamously known as the “Can I advise you something” audio clip – as part of its evidence on Rosmah’s character.
Rosmah, 69, is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5mil and two
counts of receiving a total of RM6.5mil bribe from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor, in exchange for helping Jepak Holdings obtain the RM1.25bil Sarawak rural school solar energy project.
The acts were allegedly committed at Lygon Cafe in Sunway Putra Mall at Jalan Putra here, Rosmah’s residence in Jalan Langgak Duta at Taman Duta and in Seri Perdana in Precinct 10 in Putrajaya between January 2016 and September 2017.
The hearing before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues on Oct 20.