Witness claims ‘consultancy fee’ paid by Jepak Holdings to Taiwan-based firm meant for Rosmah
KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd was meant to pay “political contributions’’ to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor through a firm based in Taiwan, a witness told the High Court today.
Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, the 16th prosecution witness had told the High Court that Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd had entered into an agreement with Taiwan based firm to engage it their consultation services and would be billed a “consultancy fee”, that is ultimately meant for Rosmah.
Earlier today, Rayyan had testified that he and his business partner, Jepak Holdings Managing Director, Saidi Abang Samsudin had agreed to pay Rosmah RM187.5 million, or 15 per cent of the solar hybrid project’s worth of RM 1.25 billion, following a meet at her home sometime between January and February of 2016.
Rayyan testified that in the same month that he and Said agreed to Rosmah’s terms, he was introduced to “Lawrence” who he perceived to be an employee of one “Tan Sri Desmond Lim” and that both individuals were trusted by Rosmah.
Rayyan also testified that he and Saidi were made to understand by Datuk Rizal Mansor that any payment to be made to Rosmah must be done through Lawrence.
“Lawrence played a role to help Jepak prepare an agreement to pay ‘consultancy fee’ to Rosmah for helping Jepak secure the solar hybrid and Genset diesel project in Sarawak. I understand that this was the means that was agreed to channel the political contribution funds to Rosmah as a reward for her help that was given to Jepak.
“Saidi and I then make several series of meet with Lawrence between February 2016 and until the end of 2016 on the preparation of the draft agreement for the ‘consultancy fee’ payments to Rosmah.
“The agreement was made between Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd with a Taiwan company, which I don’t remember the name,’’ he said.
Rayyan had also said that Rizal, who was Rosmah’s aide at the time was also present in the meetings along with Lawrence and Saidi on drafting the agreement.
Rayyan then said that he had seen the draft agreement between the two companies and found that earlier draft had only promised Rosmah only 12 per cent of the project’s value before it was amended back to 15 per cent, or RM187 million.
“I have also tabled a payment schedule for political contributions that were promised to Rosmah in of the discussion that I have attended with Saidi, Lawrence and Rizal Mansor. The scheduled payments that I made stated that the payment was to be made within five years to Rosmah,” he said, adding further that the five years were the same timetable as the solar hybrid project.
The payments schedule was also in tandem payments Jepak Holdings were to receive from the Ministry of Education for the project and were to be paid in tranches to Rosmah, explained Rayyan.
However, Rayyan stated that he had no knowledge whether Lawrence had returned the “consultancy fee” agreement between Jepak Holdings and the Taiwan-based firm or whether Lawrence had personally returned the agreement to Saidi.
In this trial, Rosmah is facing several charges, including allegedly receiving a RM5 million bribe and a RM1.5 million bribe from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s Saidi Abang Samsudin on the dates of December 20, 2016 and September 7, 2017, in exchange for helping the company get the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project.
The trial before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan resumes tomorrow.
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