Kuala lumpur: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, has failed in her appeal to have Judge Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan recuse himself from hearing and deciding on her RM1.25 billion Sarawak solar hybrid project corruption trial.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Judge Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, unanimously ruled that Rosmah's application had no merit. The solar case involving Rosmah had been heard by the trial judge for over two years, during which time she did not request the judge to step aside, accepting his fairness and impartiality.

Justice Ahmad Zaidi explained that the court examined submissions and statements, noting two sets of written judgments in the case: a 71-page version allegedly prepared by a third party and a 116-page version by the trial judge. He stated that significant differences between the documents supported the trial judge's assertion that he independently prepared his own written judgment.

Rosmah's application for Judge Mohamed Zaini to step aside was filed just before he was scheduled to deliver his decision on September 1, 2022. The application was based on claims that a draft judgment had been prepared by a third party and leaked before its official delivery.

On the same day, Rosmah was convicted of corruption involving the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined RM970 million, with an additional 30-year prison term should she fail to pay the fine. However, the High Court granted her request for a stay of execution of both the jail term and fine pending her appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Rosmah faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two charges of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director, Saidi Abang Samsudin.