Malaysia's High Court acquits Najib's wife Rosmah of $2.1m money ...

KUALA LUMPUR – Rosmah Mansor has been acquitted by Malaysia’s High Court of 12 counts of money laundering involving RM7 million (S$2.1 million) and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.

Justice K. Muniandy issued the order of discharge and acquittal after granting Rosmah’s application to dismiss all charges on the basis that they were flawed.

The case was partially heard with testimony from two witnesses.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers said on Dec 19 it will appeal against the decision.

Rosmah said the acquittal came as a “meaningful gift” during her birthday month.

She was unable to hold back her emotions as she expressed relief at closing this chapter after six years of legal battle.

“My lawyers have assured me since day one that these charges had no basis, but you can never be certain.

“My acquittal on my birthday is not only a meaningful gift for me but also a gift for my Bossku (Najib).

“This is what I call justice,” she said, when met by the press after proceedings ended.

In 2018, Rosmah, 72, was charged with five counts of allegedly engaging in money laundering by failing to furnish a return on the RM7,097,750 income deposited into her bank account, as required under the Income Tax Act.

The five charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

She also faced 12 counts of engaging directly in transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activity by causing RM7,097,750 to be deposited into her bank account.

She allegedly committed all the offences at Affin Bank Berhad, Natural Rubber Building Branch, Jalan Ampang, between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017, and at the LHDN office in Government Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, from May 1, 2014, to May 1, 2018.

Rosmah was represented by lawyers Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin and Amer Hamzah Arshad.

Rosmah still has an appeal pending before the Court of Appeal over her conviction in the RM1.25 billion corruption case involving a solar energy project for rural schools in Sarawak, reported news portal Free Malaysia Today.

She was sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined RM970 million in September 2022 after being found guilty of corruption in connection with the RM1.25 billion project. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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