KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not be testifying in his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial over a solar hybrid project in Sarawak.

       The defence team has moved to drop Najib as a witness, her lawyer Datuk Jagjit told the High Court.

       The former prime minister had initially been scheduled to take the stand yesterday.

       “After analysing the cross-examination (of Rosmah) by the prosecution, we believe the evidence from the third witness (Najib) is only corroborative in nature and the corroborative nature has already been established by the defence.

       “So we have to re-strategise and we made the decision not to call (Najib),” Jagjit said.

       The lawyer told the court that the decision was made after extensive discussions that began on Saturday and lasted into late Sunday evening.

       “I apologise again to the court. I know your lordship is conscious of the court’s time, I accept responsibility for this,” he added.

       Lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram said the decision to call or not call a witness lies with the defence.

       Facing charges: Rosmah will be the first witness for the defence in the corruption trial. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

       “It is for the defence to decide, we have nothing to say,” he said.

       Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said he appreciated the apology from the defence and that “no harm was done”. He adjourned the proceedings to Feb 4.

       Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah held a watching brief for Najib in the proceedings.

       Rosmah was the first witness in her defence while the second witness was Datuk Seri Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod, 72. Siti Azizah was the special officer in charge of Rosmah’s daily programme as the wife of the then prime minister.

       Siti Azizah, who is currently performing her umrah in Mecca, is expected to be cross-examined by the prosecution on Feb 4.

       Rosmah is facing a charge of soliciting RM187.5mil and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5mil from Jepak Holdings’ former managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.

       The bribes were allegedly received through her former aide Datuk Rizal Mansor as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel generator sets for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25bil from the Education Ministry through direct negotiation.