Rosmah cries while addressing court while her counsel suggests a prison time of one day.
2.05pm: Rosmah’s supporters are seen outside the court compound as they wait for the proceedings to resume.
2.15pm: Rosmah enters the courtroom to await proceedings to resume.
Also seen in court are the prosecution team led by deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram and Rosmah’s defence team led by Jagjit Singh and Akberdin Abdul Kader.
2.36pm: While waiting for proceedings to begin, former Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam is seen entering the court and greeting Rosmah in the public gallery.
2.39pm: Zaini enters the court as proceedings resume, as he is expected to deliver his decision on Rosmah’s application to recuse him from the solar corruption case.
Rosmah is seen in court looking on.
2.43pm: Zaini Rosmah’s application to recuse him from the solar corruption case.
The judge points out that the two alleged leaked documents are not draft judgments or prepared on his instructions.
He says they are instead research write-ups done by the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s research unit, and that these write-ups have no influence on his verdict in any way.
“I did not read their (research unit) opinions. I did my own research based on submissions by parties.
“I have always done my own work, and written over 200 judgments,” Zaini says.
2.44pm: Rosmah’s lawyers apply for postponement of the verdict in the solar corruption case against her.
Jagjit orally submits that the stay is sought pending their appeal to the Court of Appeal over the dismissal of her bid to recuse Zaini.
2.45pm: Rain is not a deterrent for Rosmah’s loyal supporters waiting outside of the Kuala Lumpur court complex.
While most members of the media scramble to find shade, Rosmah’s supporters stay put on their picnic mats as they wait for today’s proceedings to end.
2.53pm: Zaini is set to read out the verdict in the solar case against Rosmah.
Rosmah is seen inside the dock.
2.56pm: Zaini finds Rosmah guilty on all three charges.
The judge says the accused failed to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case, and that her defence was unsubstantiated bare denial and devoid of credible evidence.
The court then awaits for Rosmah’s defence to submit mitigation for a more lenient sentence.
3.03pm: Jagjit orally submits for a lenient sentence, pointing out that Rosmah has contributed much to Malaysia and its people, especially children.
The lawyer contends that the prosecution had relied on the testimony of her former aide Rizal Mansor, who the lawyer claims is a self-declared corrupt person who turned star prosecution witness to save his own skin.
3.08pm: Jagjit says that Rosmah has done something no other wife of the prime minister has done before, namely to establish Permata.
He points out that Permata was the accused’s brainchild and is recognised nationally and internationally for its role in educating children.
3.14pm: Rosmah addresses the court while sobbing.
She says that she is very sad about the verdict today but respects the court’s decision.
“Nobody saw me taking the money, nobody saw me counting the money.”
“But if that is the conclusion, takpe lah,” she says.
Rosmah says she always told her lawyers to only speak the truth and she taught her children this as well.
3.17pm: Rosmah tearfully says she has never taken for herself a single sen in the solar hybrid power energy project.
She similarly said she has never touched the millions in funds in Permata and Bakti, in which she was involved.
3.20pm: Rosmah claims she is a victim in the solar case as the actual perpetrators are out there.
She hopes that the court would have compassion on her as a human being.
“What happened to me can happen to you, your children, your grandchildren later. I am a victim in all this.
“You have done it to my husband and you want my family to suffer.
“Please consider me as taking over the role of the man in the house,” she says tearfully.
Her husband, Najib Abdul Razak, is currently serving 12 years’ jail for the RM42 million SRC case.
3.24pm: Jagjit mitigates for a lenient sentence, citing Rosmah Mansor’s contribution in society and being a first-time offender, among other reasons.
The counsel then suggests a prison time of one day among other lenient sentences that may be meted out to Rosmah.
3.26pm: Sri Ram seeks the maximum penalty, or near maximum penalty.
He points out that each of the three charges carries a penalty of maximum jail of 20 years, and a fine of five times the gratification.
He says this is to send the message to any alleged future offenders that corruption is a virulent thing in society that should be stamped out.
Sri Ram also seeks for the court to impose a total fine of RM970 million against Rosmah.
The DPP also informs the court that in the event that Rosmah fails to settle the fine, she can be hit with an additional 30 years of jail.
3.43pm: After having heard oral submissions over Rosmah’s sentencing, Zaini stands down proceedings for short while to allow him to decide what penalties to levy against her.
Earlier report:
Sept 1, Timeline of events on the morning of Rosmah’s graft trial verdict