Rosmah’s case involved 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the IRB.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court pushed the hearing of Rosmah Mansor’s application to strike out her charges to Oct 11 as both the defence and Attorney-General’s Chambers have yet to decide on her representations.
These representations are made to dismiss 12 money laundering charges involving over RM7 million, along with five counts of failing to declare her personal income to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib informed judge K Muniandy that as mentioned in the previous proceedings, representation for the wife of former premier Najib Abdul Razak representation is at its final stages.
However, Akram explained that since the case involves income tax issues, more time is needed as certain procedures with the IRB must be followed to reach a conclusion.
As a result, Muniandy set Oct 11 for both parties to continue their submissions.
Rosmah, represented by lawyer Joshua Tay, was excused from attending today’s proceedings.
Rosmah submitted her first representation to the AGC on Dec 12 last year. She later sent two other representations, on May 3 and Aug 3 this year.
On Aug 23, both Rosmah’s defence and the prosecution told the court that an agreement had been “reached” between both parties over her bid to dismiss the charges.
“I think since we have reached an agreement, I think it is resolved,” her counsel Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin told Muniandy.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib added: “I confirm that the representation is reaching a final decision and it is now a matter of finalising documentation for the court.”
Rosmah’s case involved 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the IRB.
The offences were purportedly committed at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Ground Floor, 148 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017, and the IRB office at Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, KL, between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2018.
The money laundering charges are framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act – and those convicted are punishable under Section 4(1) of the Act with a jail term of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the unlawful activity’s proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
The tax evasion charges under Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967 claim that Rosmah failed to furnish returns of her income for the 2013 to 2017 assessment years to the IRB director-general on or before April 30, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 without reasonable excuse, in contravention of Section 112 of the Act.
Previously, Rosmah was also convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail and a RM970 million fine by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in a corruption case linked to the solar hybrid energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
However, the High Court allowed a stay on the execution of the sentence pending her appeal to the Court of Appeal to quash the guilty verdict as well as the jail term and fine.
Her solar case appeal is set to be heard on Oct 23. – Malaysiakini