KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was today sentenced to 10 years' jail for each of the three corruption charges involving the RM1.25 billion project to supply solar hybrid energy to rural schools in Sarawak.
High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan also ordered Rosmah, 70, to pay a fine of RM970 million in default 10 years' jail.
She was ordered to serve the sentences concurrently.
Rosmah's sentence comes nine days after her husband, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sent to prison to serve his own 12-year jail sentence after being convicted in the SRC International case.
Earlier, Rosmah who made a statement from the dock, urged the judge to be compassionate.
Her lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh submitted on Rosmah's plea for a lesser sentence.
He called on the judge to sentence Rosmah to just a day's jail and a minimum fine.
He said Rosmah had an unblemished character and had done service to the nation as the wife of the prime minister, especially in helping young children who were not given education.
He added that Rosmah's branchild, the Permata programme to help underprivileged children, was something no other wife of any prime minister in the country had ever done.
Jagjit said Rosmah also had health issues which the court should consider.
He added that others implicated in the project had all gotten off scot-free while Rosmah was the only one charged.
"Nevertheless, she still rendered her full co-operation to the authorities."
Meanwhile, lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram urged the court to take into consideration the gravity of the offence.
He said Rosmah faced a maximum of 20 years in jail and also a fine of five times the amount of gratification received.
He said any decision should make those intending on taking corruption money stop dead in their tracks.
"If just a day's jail is imposed it will send the wrong message to the people.
"The maximum or a near maximum sentence should be imposed... corruption is a very serious offence," he said.
Upon hearing this, Rosmah remarked: "Might as well kill me."
Rosmah was charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from former Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin, through her then aide Rizal Mansor, as an inducement to help the company secure the project.
She was also accused of two counts of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Saidi between 2016 and 2017.
Her trial started in 2020 and was held over 42 days of hearing, with 23 prosecution and two defence witnesses - including Rosmah, called to testify.
Rosmah's case started on Feb 5, 2020, and Zaini ordered her to enter her defence on Feb 18 last year.
The defence closed its case on Feb 23.
The prosecution was led by Sri Ram, assisted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mustafa P Kunyalam and Poh Yin Tinn while Rosmah was represented by Jagjit and Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader.