KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 ― Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's money laundering and tax evasion trial at the High Court could not proceed today as prosecutors have yet to decide on her representation bid to have the charges against her be withdrawn.
At the onset of hearing, defence lawyer Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent informed the court of his client's representation to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) that was filed earlier this month.
In her representation, Rosmah is seeking to have all the charges against her be withdrawn.
“We in the defence pray that the representation be considered and a decision be made before the trial commences.
“And in the current circumstances seeks an adjournment of today's hearing,” he told High Court judge K. Muniandy.
Geethan also said the prosecution has no objection to the application for the trial to be deferred.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib affirmed the receipt of the representation and asked that the AGC be allowed more time to finalise the matter.
“Due to shortage of time, I have yet to set an appointment with the honourable attorney general to brief him on the contents of the representation.
“Due to the complexity of issues raised in the representation, I humbly seek from the court to allow me to have at least two months to get everything done,” he said.
Muniandy later allowed for today's hearing to be postponed and subsequent trial dates fixed for the following two months to be vacated.
The trial will now resume on August 24.
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.
Apart from May 12, the court also set June 28 and 30; July 6, 7, 27, 28 and 31; August 1, 2, 11, 24 and 25; and September 7 and 8, 2023 as trial dates.
On September 1 last year, 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 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.
