'Can I advise you something?' audio recording was 'utter rubbish', says Rosmah

KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor told the High Court here today that the content of an audio recording containing the sentence "Can I advise you something?" was not true and that there was no scientific investigation to prove it was her voice.

Rosmah, 70, said this when asked if the audio content was true during cross-examination by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram on her defence trial on three charges relating to a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

Sri Ram: I put it to you the content of the tape is true. Do you agree?

Rosmah answered, "No, utter rubbish."

Rosmah also disagreed with Sri Ram's suggestion that the voice in the tape belongs to her.

Sri Ram: You confirm the voices in that tape are voices of you and your husband (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak?

Rosmah: No, I could not confirm that, because there was no scientific investigation done on that.

Sri Ram: I also put it to you that during that conversation, you made references to the appointment of persons in public office.

Rosmah: I don't agree.

Rosmah also disagreed with Sri Ram that she had distanced herself from the contents of the tape because the tape confirmed that she was giving advice to her husband on public appointments.

Sri Ram said several witnesses in the trial including former education minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid and Rosmah's former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor have testified in court that those were the voices of Rosmah and Najib.

However, Rosmah countered that by saying, "And you're supposed to believe them?"

At this point, Sri Ram raised his voice and said Rosmah should not be questioning him back.

Sri Ram: You can't ask me a question. You want to quarrel with me? Rosmah replied, "I'm not quarrelling with you. I want to answer."

At this juncture, judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan suggested that Rosmah listen to the prosecution's question and keep her answer short as her counsel will re-examine her later.

Right after the judge gave his direction, Rosmah answered, "Datuk Seri (Sri Ram), don't shout near me. I'm not used to people shouting near me," she said.

Earlier, judge Mohamed Zaini dismissed the prosecution's application to impeach Rosmah over her alleged contradictory testimony in her trial after ruling that impeachment was not necessary as Rosmah has offered an explanation over the alleged contradiction.

The prosecution's attempt to impeach Rosmah's credibility was over alleged contradictions in her testimony in the solar project trial and the statement she gave to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in her money laundering case.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said when Rosmah gave her statement to the MACC on Oct 3, 2018 relating to her money laundering case, she said she did not know or ever met Saidi Abang Samsudin (former managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd) and Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah (Saidi's former business partner).

Ahmad Akram contended that during previous proceedings in the solar trial, Rosmah testified that she did not know Saidi and Rayyan (key prosecution witnesses) prior to her first meeting with them in 2016.

On Feb 18, the High Court ordered Rosmah to enter her defence on the three charges after finding the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.

Rosmah is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million in bribes and two charges of receiving RM6.5 million from Saidi through Rizal as a gratification to assist Jepak Holdings in securing the Integrated Hybrid Solar Photovoltaic System Project as well as Genset/Diesel Maintenance and Operation for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiations from the Ministry of Education.

The trial continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA