KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor claimed trial to an additional charge of bribery involving a Sarawak rural schools project today.
The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is accused of receiving RM5 million in bribe from Saidi Abang Samsudin, the managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, for helping the company attain a project worth RM1.25 billion via direct negotiation, namely “Projek Bersepadu Sistem Photovoltaic (PV) hibrid dan penyelengaraan dan Operasi Genset/Diesel” on Nov 20, 2016.
The money was said to have been delivered by her aide Rizal Mansor.
The charge was under Section16(A)(a) of the MACC Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law.
Upon conviction the charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of RM10,000 or a fine not less than five times of the amount received in bribes, whichever is higher.
The charge was read before Judge Azura Alwi, at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court.
Rosmah was allowed to maintain the RM1 million bail from her two previous bribery charges linked with the project. Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar earlier suggested an RM1 million bail with one surety.
In addition, the court fixed May 10 for case mention.
This is the second time she is charged over the project.
On Nov 15 last year, she was charged with two counts of soliciting RM187.5 million and accepting bribes amounting to RM1.5 million.
