KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — The High Court here was informed today that the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) is obtaining new witness statements following Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s latest representation to strike out her money laundering and tax evasion charges.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib informed High Court Judge K. Muniandy of the latest status of Rosmah’s representation sent last month, but added that it was still undecided.
“Concerning the representation, there are statements by several individual witnesses to be taken to complete the investigation so we can come up with a thorough decision,” Ahmad Akram told the court.
This is the third representation sent by the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The first and second representations were submitted on May 3 and August 18, respectively, but have not been decided by the AGC yet.
Rosmah, represented by lawyer Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin, was not present in court today after calling in sick.
Firoz then requested for the court to fix another date for the hearing of Rosmah's bid given the substantive nature of the application and the importance of the accused being present.
Another defence lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad also seconded Firoz Hussein's request, saying there was a need for the team to take instructions from their client during the hearing.
Muniandy then fixed March 1 for the AGC to update the court on the representation including further hearing dates of the striking-out application should the representation bid fail.
This is Rosmah's second corruption trial.
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.
Rosmah, who is the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for each charge to be served concurrently which means she will only serve 10 years in jail.
She was also fined RM970 million, in default 30 years in jail but her sentence is on hold pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal.
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.
Initially charged on October 4, 2018, at the Sessions Court, she has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
