Asia

Malaysian court orders graft trial of wife of ex-PM Najib to proceed

February 18, 2021. Summarized by summa-bot.

Compression ratio: 71.6%. 2 min read.

A Malaysian court on Thursday ordered Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, to enter a defense in a corruption trial linked to a multi-million-dollar project approved while the ex-premier was still in power.

(CNN)A Malaysian court on Thursday ordered Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, to enter a defense in a corruption trial linked to a multi-million-dollar project approved while the ex-premier was still in power.

Dozens of graft charges were filed against the couple after Najib lost the 2018 election, amid anger over alleged corruption and their opulent lifestyle after police raids revealed Rosmah owned millions of dollars worth of jewelry and luxury handbags.

The Kuala Lumpur high court ruled the prosecution had proved sufficient grounds for the case to proceed.

Rosmah, who wore a traditional Malay dress with a shawl covering her head, told the court she would testify under oath during defense proceedings.

Her lawyer, Jagjit Singh, said after the hearing the defense would be "hampered to a certain extent" because the judge did not explain the factors behind his decision, adding that this had caused his client emotional distress.

Rosmah was earlier accompanied by Najib, who had to leave midway through her hearing to attend to his own court case.

Rosmah, 69, faces three charges of soliciting and receiving bribes involving a sum of 194 million ringgit ($48. 09 million) to help a company, Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, secure a solar power project.

Of that total, prosecutors accuse Rosmah of arranging for 187 million ringgit ($46. 22 million) to be paid as a political donation to Najib, while also receiving two bribes of 6. 5 million ($1. 6 million) ringgit.

In July, Najib was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 12 years in jail in the first of several trials linked to a multi-billion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Rosmah's case resumes on June 9.

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