MACC probes doctor over MC – Rosmah's lawyer cries 'intimidation'

ROSMAH MANSOR TRIAL | Lawyer Jagjit Singh criticised MACC's investigation into a doctor who certified that his client Rosmah Mansor was unfit to attend trial on Monday.

“This is intimidation!” he stressed, raising his voice in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

“Who gave such instructions? This should not be permitted," he thundered.

Lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram responded that the MACC merely wanted to establish the authenticity of the medical report.

Asking the court not to interfere in the matter, he said the doctor should lodge a police report if he or she felt threatened.

Rosmah, who is former premier Najib Abdul Razak's wife, attended court this morning despite news of her being hospitalised on Monday night.

She is facing three counts of corruption involving hundreds of millions of ringgit.

On Nov 15, 2018, Rosmah pleaded not guilty to two counts of soliciting RM187.5 million and receiving RM1.5 million for projects to provide solar energy to rural schools in Sarawak.

Meanwhile, judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan told Jagjit that he does not have the capacity to look into the matter.

"I am sorry. I am not in the capacity (of deliberating on this). If this is the case, the individual (the doctor) should feel free to lodge a police report," he added.

Met outside court later, Jagjit said the defence is unable to do anything about this since the court declined to put a stop to the intimidation.

"Where is the ethics? Is that not criminal intimidation? But the judge said 'no'," he added.

Earlier, Jagjit updated the court regarding Rosmah's health condition. The lawyer said his client's blood sample would be sent to Australia for testing.

Jagjit also expressed unhappiness with the court for instructing Rosmah to attend the hearing this morning.

He said most courts would accept and abide by the medical certificate produced before them in the event an accused is ill and cannot attend.

"But his lordship ordered her to be present here despite her condition, she came from the hospital," Jagjit added.

He said Rosmah had to sign a document at the hospital stating that she would be doing so on her own risk. Following the hearing, she would return to the hospital.

Asked if his client would be able to attend the hearing tomorrow, Jagjit replied: "God willing."

On Monday, Jagjit produced a medical report in court stating that Rosmah was suffering from cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis in both knees and chronic adrenal insufficiency.