The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak said in a witness’ statement in the corruption case against her that Rizal, who turned prosecution witness, had confessed that he had indulged in graft.
“I should have been made crown witness to testify against Rizal as he admitted to the crime when he gave evidence for the prosecution,” she said.
Rizal, who had been jointly charged with Rosmah, was freed of four counts of corruption in relation to a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for rural schools in Sarawak, just before the trial began early last year.
Rosmah, 69, is accused of soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, through Rizal, as an inducement to help the company secure the solar project through direct negotiation with the ministry.
She is also accused of two counts of receiving bribes amounting to RM1.5 million in 2016 and another RM5 million in 2017 from Saidi.
Rosmah described Rizal’s evidence against her as slander.
She said she was telling the truth under oath that she had not solicited nor accepted bribes from Saidi.
According to Rosmah, in his testimony last year, Rizal admitted to having solicited RM25 million from Saidi and that the amount was to be paid in instalments over five years.
Rosmah said Rizal had also admitted to having received a RM500,000 bribe from Saidi and another RM30,000 from Saidi’s assistant, Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah.
“I never asked nor accepted any corrupt money from Saidi through Rizal,” she said, adding that she told the MACC the same when her statement was recorded in 2018.
Rosmah said Rizal’s action implicating her was to smear her image and credibility as the wife of the former prime minister.
“He made a deal with the prosecution to become their crown witness to give evidence against me,” she added.
Rosmah said Rizal was employed on a contract basis as a media officer in the Prime Minister’s Office and was not her special officer. Rizal, however, had said he was her special officer, when giving evidence last year.
Rosmah said Rizal reported to Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod.
“However, he was not an efficient and responsible staff member. He could not write my speech well.” she said, adding that Rizal always “went missing”.
Rosmah dismissed Rizal’s testimony that she had directed him to set up a cybertrooper team to deflect and explain unsubstantiated allegations against her.
“How could I as a housewife with no income pay RM100,000 a month to sustain the team?” she asked.
On another matter, Rosmah said she had met Saidi and Rayyan at her private residence in Langgak Duta here sometime in early 2016.
“This meeting was arranged without my permission by Rizal as I do not help any contractor secure government projects,” she said.
Rosmah said Rizal pleaded with her twice to meet Saidi and Rayyan as they wanted to thank Najib through her for supporting the project.
“I told Rizal they should meet Najib personally to thank him instead of through an intermediary,” she said.
Earlier today, lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader, in making the defence’s opening statement, said at the meeting Saidi had made an offer of a political donation to Najib as a gesture of gratitude for supporting the project.
The hearing before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues.