KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said last night it decided to withdraw its appeal against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s acquittal on money laundering and terrorism financing-related charges after concluding there was no realistic chance of overturning the ruling.
In a statement, the AGC said it had originally filed the appeal on October 30 against the High Court decision delivered last year.
However, a review of the written grounds led the chambers to conclude that the prospects of success were too weak to justify continuing the challenge.
“After a full evaluation of the judgment, the AGC is satisfied that the appeal should not proceed as the prospects of success are not viable if the matter is pursued.
“One of the considerations was that the prosecution was unable to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt because several key witnesses had passed away,” the statement said.
The AGC also said all factual and legal elements in the case were carefully scrutinised before reaching the decision.
A notice of discontinuance was filed on December 9.
The chambers added that Rosmah’s separate appeal in the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project for rural schools in Sarawak is still before the courts.
She was convicted in the High Court on three corruption charges in that case, receiving a 10-year jail sentence and a RM970 million fine.
The sentence has been stayed pending the outcome of her appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Rosmah, 74, had faced 12 money laundering charges involving RM7.09 million and another five counts for allegedly failing to declare income to the Inland Revenue Board.
The alleged offences were said to have taken place between December 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, with charges filed on October 4, 2018.
Her trial began on August 24, 2023, but came to a halt after she filed a striking-out application on September 6.
A notice of appeal was filed on December 20, 2024, a day after Justice K. Muniandy ruled the charges were defective and did not comply with requirements under the Criminal Procedure Code.
