BENTONG: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi urges all parties to respect the High Court's decision to acquit and discharge Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on Thursday (Dec 19, reports Malay language daily Sinar Harian.
The Deputy Prime Minister made this statement following the court's decision to acquite the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak from 12 charges of money laundering amounting to RM7,097,750 and five charges of failing to declare income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
"I wish to express gratitude for Rosmah's acquittal and discharge from the charges of money laundering and failure to declare assets.
"We must respect the judicial institution's decision in favour of Rosmah.
"I hope no one will question the court's decision," he told Sinar Harian.
He made these remarks during a press conference at the inauguration of the Chemomoi Agropolitan Latex Complex near Felda Chemomoi on Thursday.
High Court Judge K. Muniandy made the ruling after granting Rosmah's application to dismiss the charges.
On Thursday, Rosmah was acquitted and discharged of 12 AMLA cases amounting to over RM7mil and five cases related to LHDN.
For the LHDN-related charges, she was accused of failing to submit income statements for the assessment years 2013 to 2017 to the Director-General of Inland Revenue on or before April 30 from 2014 to 2018.
Rosmah was alleged to have failed to do so as required by Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967 without reasonable excuse, contrary to Section 112 of the same act.
The offences were said to have been committed at Affin Bank Bhd, Bangunan Getah Asli Branch, Jalan Ampang, between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN, Government Building Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, from May 1, 2014, to May 1, 2018.
Apart from this trial, Rosmah still faces appeal proceedings against the decision by Judge Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan (now a Court of Appeal judge), sentencing her to 10 years in prison and a RM970mil fine for three corruption charges related to a RM1.25bil solar hybrid project.
The appeal proceedings are scheduled to take place on March 5 next year.
