17 charges

KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor yesterday claimed trial to a total of 17 charges involving money laundering and failing to declare income amounting to RM14 million.

The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak faced 12 charges under t he Anti- Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) and five counts under the Income Tax Act 1967.

For the AMLA charges, she is alleged to have engaged in money laundering by depositing into her Affin Bank account number 100020000058, proceeds of unlawful activity between December 2013 and March 2017.

She is alleged to have committed the offences at the Affin Bank branch in Bangunan Getah Asli, Jalan Ampang by depositing : RM200,000 on Dec 4, 2013; RM100,000 on Dec 16, 2013; RM200,000 on Dec 23, 2013; RM200,000 on Jan 28, 2014; RM100,000 on Jan 29, 2014; RM200,000 on 28 Feb, 2014; RM100,000 on March 14, 2014; RM100,000 on April 8, 2014; RM1.604 milli on vi a ei ght transactions between Sept 4, 2014 and Dec 22, 2014;

R M3. 8 5 3 mi l l i o n via 127 transactions between Jan 21, 2015 and Dec 12, 2015;

RM510,000 via 87 transactions between Jan 28, 2016 and Nov 7, 2016; and

RM30,000 via five transactions between March 29, 2017 and June 8, 2017.

The charges under Sec 4(1)(1) of the AMLA provides for a fine of up to RM5 million, imprisonment of up to five years, or both.

Rosmah was also alleged to have committed money laundering by failing to declare to the Inland Revenue Board, income of RM500,000 for 2014, RM2.24 million for 2015, RM3.853 million for 2016, RM510,000 for 2017 and RM30,000 for 2018.

The alleged offences under Sec 4(1)(a) of the AMLA, read with the Income Tax Act 1967, provides a penalty of up to 15 years' jail and a fine of at l east f i ve t i mes t he sum concerned, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.

Rosmah looked calm throughout the 22 minutes it took to read the charges to her before sessions court judge Azura Alwi.

While the charges were being read, Najib, who faces 32 charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering-related offences over transfers of RM42 million from f ormer 1 MDB s ubsidiary SRC International, and RM2.28 billion from 1MDB into his bank accounts, was in

another court for mention of one of his cases.

Prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram requested for bail of RM10 million, and for Rosmah to surrender her passports and be prohibited from contacting witnesses or potential witnesses.

Gopal told the court this was because Rosmah had approached a witness during an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into the wedding of Rosmah’s eldest daughter, Datin Azrene Soraya Abdul Aziz in 2006.

In proposing the bail amount, Gopal said the witness concerned had made a police report about Rosmah’s action.

“The accused had approached the witness, requesting the witness to make a statement in her favour, and there is a real danger of witnesses being tampered with (in this case also).”

Gopal said he felt it should be brought to the attention of the court when fixing bail as tampering with investigations is a serious offence.

Rosmah's lawyer Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent requested for a lower bail amount. Azura then set bail at RM2 million in two sureties and ordered Rosmah to surrender her passports, and not to interfere with potential witnesses in the case.

The judge also allowed Geethan's request for RM500,000 of the bail to be paid yesterday and the remainder to be paid by Oct 11. The case was set for mention on Nov 8.