Up to 14 prosecution witnesses for Rosmah’s upcoming trial

The prosecution is seeking to call between 13 and 14 witnesses to testify against Rosmah Mansor in her RM7 million money laundering and tax evasion trial.

Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yi Ting said this during the mention of her case before the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning.

“We are looking at between 13 and 14 witnesses with two to three weeks of trial,” the prosecutor told trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

The judge was asking parties, including Rosmah’s counsel Revin Kumar, for their free dates to set full trial dates for her case.

Zaini said the court is considering between 14 and 15 days for a full trial in February next year.

Revin informed that he first needs to consult lead defence counsel Geethan Ram Vincent on suitable dates for trial.

At this juncture, Zaini reminded both the prosecution and defence to make an effort to set the dates as early as possible as the trial has been long-standing over the past four years.

“Give this case a priority as it is a 2018 case, which means it is four years old. This case has to be given priority over any other case (the prosecution or defence may have),” the judge said.

The court then set Dec 1 for further mention of the case against Rosmah, who is the wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The accused has a pending appeal before the Court of Appeal to recuse Zaini from presiding over the money laundering and tax evasion case.

Money laundering, tax evasion

In relation to the main matter pending before the High Court, Rosmah faces 12 money laundering counts involving RM7,097,750 and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (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 Inland Revenue Board (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 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 proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher, if convicted.

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.

Rosmah has also been previously convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail and RM970 million fine by the same judge 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 jail term and fine.

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