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KUALA LUMPUR (BERNAMA) – The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur was told on Thursday (Nov 8) that nearly 99.9 per cent of documents in the case involving former prime minister Najib Razak s wife, Rosmah Mansor, who is facing 17 charges for money laundering and failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), had been handed to the defence team.
Retired Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who is leading the prosecution team in the case, informed the court when the case came up for mention before judge Azura Alwi.
We have handed over the documents under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code to the defence team, he said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk K. Kumaraendran, representing Rosmah, told the court that the defence had received a 600-page document on the case on Oct 30.
“We propose a month for the next mention date. We don’t have time to study the documents yet,” he said, adding that only the document on Rosmah’s bank statement had yet to be handed over to the defence.
The defence team also said that they would apply to transfer the case to the High Court soon.
Judge Azura then set Dec 6 for mention.
Rosmah, 67, in matching baju kurung and shawl, who was in the dock, was a picture of calm. A female assistant was later seen placing a small pillow behind her back.
Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent, also representing Rosmah, when met outside the court, told reporters that the defence would file an application to transfer the case to the High Court before Dec 6.
Last Oct 4, Rosmah pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to 12 counts of money laundering, involving RM7,097,750 (S$2.34 million), and five counts for failing to declare her income to the IRB.
On the first to the eighth count, 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 were deposited into her account (number 100020000058) at Affin Bank Berhad.
She was alleged to have committed the offence at Affin Bank Berhad’s Bangunan Getah Asli branch, located on the ground Floor at 148 Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017.
The charges were made 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 for a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.
For the ninth to the 12th charge, Rosmah was alleged to have directly engaged in 227 transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activities totalling RM5,997,750.00, which was 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 for 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.
Rosmah also pleaded not guilty to five counts of failing to furnish returns of her income to the Director-General of the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
These were the 13th to the 17th charge, where she was alleged to have directly engaged in transactions involving proceeds from unlawful activities by failing to furnish returns on her income amounting to RM7,097,750.00 that was deposited into Affin Bank Berhad account number 100020000058, which belonged to her, between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017.
Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967 required her to 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, between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2018.
For the 13th charge, Rosmah was charged under sections of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 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 charge 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.
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