In a letter to the High Court yesterday, legal firm Messrs Geethan Ram sought an adjournment as a lawyer, who was present during yesterday’s proceeding, has been confirmed to have contracted the virus.

“As a result, we are seeking a directive from the court as all those present have come in close contact with the lawyer,” the letter sighted by FMT said.

Meanwhile, ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram said High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan has fixed March 2 to resume the hearing.

This is the fifth time the trial had to be adjourned since Jan 12 for various reasons.

Yesterday, the court allowed lawyer Reza Abdul Rahim’s application to adjourn the proceeding to today to prepare a submission on her client’s application to stop Sri Ram from arguing his own case to disqualify himself.

Rosmah had earlier made another application to disqualify Sri Ram on the grounds that Attorney-General Idrus Harun had exceeded his authority in appointing him to prosecute the case.

The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak said Sri Ram’s appointment letter as senior deputy public prosecutor under Section 376(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, dated May 21 last year, did not include this case.

However, Sri Ram said a criminal court had no power to disqualify him and that the right forum was a civil court.

Rosmah is facing 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failure to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.

She is accused of committing the offences between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017.