KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court was told today that there was no answer from the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) on the third representation sent by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor for the 12 money laundering charges involving more than RM7 million and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) against her to be dropped.
Rosmah's counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad told Judge K. Muniandy this when the case came up for a hearing.
"My Lord, there was no answer by the AGC on the representation letter. We don't wish to delay the matter, as it has been going on. We decided to proceed with submissions (to drop charges)," said the lawyer.
This is the third representation sent by the 72-year-old Rosmah. The first and second representations were submitted on May 3 and August 18 respectively last year, but they have yet to be decided by the AGC. She also filed an application to be acquitted and discharged of all 17 charges on Oct 4, 2020.
She is alleged to have committed all the offences at Affin Bank Berhad, Natural Rubber Building Branch, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at IRB Office in Government Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.
So far, two witnesses have testified in the trial, which started on Aug 24 last year.
During today's proceedings, Amer Hamzah submitted that the charges against Rosmah were groundless, stressing that the objective of any charge is to give notice to the accused but the charges levelled against Rosmah lacked adequate particulars.
"The way some of the charges are framed, they don't show particulars recognised in law. The particulars are not stated in the offence and it's a groundless charge not recognised in law.
"Out of the 17 charges Rosmah faces, there were duplications where she was accused of the same offence twice. What the prosecution is trying to do is create as many possible charges as the same set of facts. That is not fair and unconstitutional on (Rosmah)," he said.
The hearing will continue on Aug 23.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Jul 04 2024
Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's money laundering and tax evasion trial continued, despite no response from the AGC to her dismissal request. - BERNAMA/Filepic
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