Rosmah's bid to drop money laundering and tax evasion charges still pending
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — The High Court was today notified of the Attorney-General’s (AG) yet-to-finalise decision on Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s representations seeking for her money laundering and tax evasion charges against her be dropped.
Rosmah’s counsel Joshua Tay informed the High Court that the parties were still ironing out the details of the necessary paperwork and a final decision has yet to be determined.
This is despite Rosmah’s lawyer having informed court last month that an ‘agreement’ has been reached.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib concurred with Tay, adding that parties needed more time to finalise the matter.
“I informed the court previously (on August 23) that we are reaching a final decision on the letter of representations.
“However, as this case concerns tax issues, there are certain procedures we need to iron out with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and other agencies, to get a final decision that procedure takes time,” he said.
Pending a final decision from the Attorney General Chambers, High Court Judge K. Muniandy then instructed parties to proceed with Rosmah’s ongoing application to strike out all the 17 charges against her, with additional hearing dates fixed on October 11 and November 12 for further submissions.
The first and second representations were submitted by Rosmah on May 3 and August 18, 2023 respectively, while the third representation was made in December the same year.
This is Rosmah’s second corruption trial.
In this trial, Rosmah is facing 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750, and five counts of failure to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board between December 4, 2013, to June 8, 2017.
On September 1, 2022, Court of Appeal judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan ? then a High Court judge ? found Rosmah guilty of three corruption charges involving RM1.25 billion in connection with a hybrid solar project to provide electricity for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
She was also fined RM970 million, in default of 30 years in jail, but her sentence is on hold pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal.