Rosmah calls acquittal a ‘meaningful birthday gift’

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court’s acquittal in her money laundering and tax evasion case came as a “meaningful gift” during Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s birthday month.

The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was all smiles as she expressed relief at closing this chapter after six years of legal battle.

“My lawyers have assured me since day one that these charges had no basis, but you can never be certain.

“My acquittal on my birthday is not only a meaningful gift for me but also a gift for my Bossku (Najib).

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“This is what I call justice,” she said when met by the press after proceedings ended.

On Thursday (Dec 19), Justice K. Muniandy granted Rosmah a discharge and acquittal on all 17 charges in her money laundering and tax evasion case, citing flawed charges.

In 2018, Rosmah, 72, was charged with five counts of allegedly engaging in money laundering by failing to furnish a return on the RM7,097,750 income deposited into her bank account, as required under the Income Tax Act 1967.

The five charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

ALSO READ: Rosmah’s tax charges flawed, court hears

Rosmah also faced 12 counts of engaging directly in transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activity by causing RM7,097,750 to be deposited into her bank account.

She allegedly committed all the offences at Affin Bank Berhad, Natural Rubber Building Branch, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017, and at the LHDN office in Government Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, from May 1, 2014, to May 1, 2018.

Rosmah was represented by lawyers Datuk Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin and Amer Hamzah Arshad.