KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The hearing of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s case for money laundering and tax evasion involving RM7,097,750, which was set for this month has been vacated to make way for her ongoing corruption trial involving the solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak.
High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, who is presiding both cases, said he is giving priority to the ongoing solar hybrid case before proceeding with the money laundering case.
“The dates previously fixed in May cannot go on because of the movement control order to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he said during the case management today and set July 30 for another case management to fix new dates for the trial.
Prior to this, the court had set May 12 to 14, July 6 to 9, 13-16 and 20 to 24 for the money laundering and tax evasion trial involving the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Rosmah, 69, who is exempted from attending court today, is represented by lawyer Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent, while deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn prosecuted.
On October 4, 2018, Rosmah pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to 12 counts of money laundering, involving RM7,097,750, and five counts for failing to declare her income to the Inland revenue Board.
The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, ground Floor, 148 Jalan Ampang here between December 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017 and the Inland Revenue Board, Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan , Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.
The charges on money laundering were framed under Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 and punishable under Section 4(1) of the same law, which provides an imprisonment for up to 15 years and fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of unlawful activity or RM5 million, whichever is higher, if found guilty.
The charges for tax evasion were made under Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967 required her to furnish returns of her income for the assessment year 2013 to 2017 to the IRB Director-General on or before April 30, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 without reasonable excuse contrary to Section 112 of the law. — Bernama
