Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is currently incarcerated, has been acquitted of charges related to money laundering and tax evasion.
On Thursday, Malaysia’s High Court ruled in her favor, citing insufficient evidence to proceed with the case, according to Reuters.
Since Najib’s shocking electoral defeat in 2018, he and Rosmah have been the subject of numerous corruption investigations. Voter backlash against Najib’s alleged role in the massive scandal involving the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) contributed to his departure from office after nine years.
Both Najib and Rosmah have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
While she has been cleared of these particular charges, Rosmah remains entangled in legal issues. She is currently out on bail as she appeals a 10-year prison sentence she received in 2022 for soliciting and accepting bribes intended to help a company win a $279 million solar power project during Najib’s administration.
Rosmah has faced significant public criticism in Malaysia due to her lavish lifestyle, which reportedly includes over 500 luxury handbags and 12,000 pieces of jewelry seized during police raids tied to 1MDB investigations.
The High Court ruling, as reported by Reuters, dismissed Rosmah’s money laundering and tax evasion charges due to a lack of legal merit.
During a livestreamed press conference, Rosmah expressed her gratitude for the court’s decision, thanking her legal team and the presiding judge. “This is what I call justice, and this is the kind of justice everyone deserves,” she stated.
This acquittal follows the recent dismissal of corruption charges against Najib regarding 1MDB, attributed to procedural errors and failure by the prosecution to disclose critical documents.
Najib still faces multiple trials connected to the 1MDB scandal, which allegedly involved the embezzlement of approximately $4.5 billion through a complex international operation from 2009 to 2014.
In 2022, he was found guilty of corruption and money laundering, receiving a 12-year prison sentence, which was subsequently reduced by half following a pardon board decision led by Malaysia’s king. While Najib has expressed remorse for his actions, he asserts that he was unaware of any illicit dealings involving the state fund and is currently seeking to finish the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
