KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has scheduled a hearing on December 13 to consider Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s request to dismiss all 17 corruption charges she is currently facing. The application was submitted by Rosmah’s counsel Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin on September 6, as confirmed by Deputy Public Prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn during case management on September 7. The prosecution has requested time to prepare a response and a written submission. In response to Justice K. Muniandy’s inquiry, defense lawyer Mohamed Reza Rahim also stated that they needed time to submit a reply. Justice Muniandy then set the new hearing date and ordered Rosmah to be present in court, although her attendance was previously excused. He also extended her bail.
On August 17, the Court of Appeal granted Rosmah temporary permission to travel abroad to be with her daughter, who gave birth later that month. In her application to dismiss all 17 charges, Rosmah argued that they were unfounded, defective, and premature. According to Rosmah, a criminal court is not an appropriate forum to determine the taxability of the money she received under the Income Tax Act. She stated in her affidavit, “If the criminal court proceeds with its findings (whether the amount of money was taxable), the court will usurp the functions of the Special Commissioners of Income Tax (SCIT) which is an authorised body under a written law.” She also emphasized her right to refer the matter to the SCIT if the amounts are subject to tax payment, a right that she claims has been denied to her in these charges.
Rosmah, 71, is currently facing 12 charges of money laundering involving RM7,097,750, as well as five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board. The alleged offenses took place at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang between December 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018. On October 4, 2018, she pleaded not guilty to all charges at the Sessions Court. On September 1 last year, the High Court convicted Rosmah on three counts of corruption related to the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined RM970 million. She is currently out on bail pending her appeal in the case.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
