KUALA LUMPUR: The 17 money laundering charges against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor (pix) will be transferred to the High Court.
Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi accepted the application made by the defence to transfer the trial to the High Court which was approved on Nov 29.
“We are now only waiting for the exact date of the hearing from the High Court,‘’ lawyer Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent told reporters after the case mention today
The proceedings today were limited due to the transfer.
Rosmah and her husband, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, were present today.
The duo arrived at Kuala Lumpur Court Complex at 8.33am and left soon after mention at 9.15am, escorted by police and lawyers.
Rosmah appeared calm in court.
On Oct 4, Rosmah, 67, pleaded not guilty in the sessions court here to 12 counts of money laundering involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.
For the first eight counts, Rosmah was alleged to have been involved in money laundering by directly engaging in the transaction that involved proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to RM1.1 million which was deposited into her Affin Bank Berhad account.
She was alleged to have committed the offence at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, ground floor, 148 Jalan Ampang here between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017.
The charges were framed under Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 and punishable under Section 4(1) of the same law, which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.
For the ninth to the 12th charges, Rosmah was alleged to have directly engaged in 227 transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activities totalling RM5,997,750.00 which were deposited into the same account at Affin Bank Berhad which belonged to her.
The charges were made 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.
As for the 13th to the 17th counts, she was alleged to have directly engaged in transactions involving proceeds from unlawful activities and failing to furnish returns on her income amounting to RM7,097,750.00 that was deposited into her Affin Bank Berhad account between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017.
As required under Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967 she should 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.
She was charged with committing all the offences at the Inland Revenue Board, Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2018.
For the 13th charge, Rosmah was charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 and punishable under Section 4(1) of the same law, which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.
The 14th to the 17th charges were made 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.
