Solar project for schools: Rizal Mansor’s graft case to be heard in High Court
KUALA LUMPUR: The case of former special officer to the former prime minister, Datuk Rizal Mansor, who faces four corruption charges involving a solar hybrid system project for rural schools in Sarawak will be heard in the High Court, here.
Lawyer Ridha Abdah Subri, representing Rizal, informed Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob that the defence had filed an application on Dec 5 to transfer the case to the High Court.
He told the court that the defence had also filed a supporting affidavit with regard to the application.
“Today ( yesterday) has also been fixed for case management before the deputy registrar of the High Court to obtain the date for mention at the High Court,” the lawyer said.
Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC) deputy public prosecutor, Ahmad Akram Gharib said the commission would not be filing an affidavitin-reply and had no objection to the application.The court then set Jan 10, 2019 for case mention.
Last Nov 15, Rizal, 44, pleaded not guilty to four counts of soliciting for and accepting bribes for himself and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor amounting to RM5.5 million, involving the supply of equipment and installation of the solar hybrid system for rural schools in Sarawak.
On the first charge, he was accused of soliciting, on behalf of Rosmah, RM187,500,000 which was 15 per cent of the contract value, from Saidi Abang Samsudin, the managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd.
The money was as inducement for Rosmah to assist the company in securing the Hybrid Photovoltaic System Integrated Project and the maintenance and operation of the gen sets/diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation from the Education Ministry.
On the second charge, Rizal was accused of soliciting RM25,000,000 for himself from Saidi to ensure that Rosmah would assist Jepak Holdings with getting the project.
Both offences were allegedly committed at Lygon Cafe, G-24, Ground Floor, Sunway Putra Mall, 100, Jalan Putra, Chow Kit, here, between March and April 2016.
On the third charge, Rizal was accused of receiving RM5 million on behalf of Rosmah from Saidi as a reward for her for assisting Jepak Holdings to obtain the same project. The offence was allegedly committed at the REIT Management Sdn Bhd lobby, 168, Pavilion, Jalan Bukit Bintang, here, on Dec 20, 2016.
Rizal was also charged with receiving RM500,000 for himself from Saidi as a reward in ensuring that Rosmah assisted Jepak Holdings obtain the same project. He allegedly committed the offence at No. 1, Laman Damai Sari, Jalan 1/61, Bukit Segambut, here, on Dec 23, 2016.
The charges were made under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission Act 2009. The offences are punishable under Section 24 of the same act, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher. — Bernama