The first time wife of an ex-PM charged

KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has become the first wife of a former prime ­minister to be charged in court.

The 17 charges are for money laundering involving more than RM7mil.

The 66-year-old appeared for the first time in the courtroom after three rounds of questioning by the Malaysian Anti-Cor­ruption Commission (MACC) – the last one on Wednesday before she was arrested.

For the first 12 charges, she is accused of engaging directly in transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activity by causing RM7,097,750 to be deposited into her bank account.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Affin Bank Bhd branch at Bangunan Getah Asli, 148, Jalan Ampang here between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017.

For the 13th to the 17th charges, Rosmah allegedly engaged in money laundering by failing to furnish a return on the RM7,097,750 income deposited into her bank account, which she was required to do under the Income Tax Act 1967.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Inland Revenue Board, Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on May 1 of each year between 2014 and this year.

Eight charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Fin­ancing Act 2001, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5mil or im­prisonment up to five years or both.

The rest of the charges were under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlaw­ful Activi­ties Act 2001, which carries imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of no less than five times the sum involved or RM5mil, whichever is higher.

As the ninth charge was read out to her, Rosmah asked the court interpreter to show her the appendix attached to the charge as it involved several alleged transactions in one charge.

“Minta bicara (I claim trial),” she said while shaking her head after all the charges were read out.

Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi fixed bail at RM2mil in two sureties.

The court also allowed the bail to be paid in installments.

“The bail must be settled before or by Oct 11,” Azura said, before fixing the case mention on Nov 8.

Rosmah paid RM500,000 yesterday.