Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has decided to drop its appeal against the acquittal of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, in a money laundering and tax evasion case involving funds of about seven million ringgit.
The Attorney General’s Chambers said the decision was made after reviewing the case and determining that the appeal was unlikely to succeed. Officials noted that some key witnesses were no longer available, which weakened the prosecution’s chances of proving the charges in a higher court.
Rosmah had been acquitted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in December last year on 12 money laundering and five tax evasion charges. With the prosecution now formally withdrawing its challenge, the acquittal is final and she no longer faces any proceedings in this particular case.
However, Rosmah still has other major legal battles. She is appealing her conviction and 10 year prison sentence in a separate corruption case linked to a solar power project for rural schools. That appeal remains ongoing and the courts are also considering her request to replace the judge who had delivered the earlier verdict.
Her husband Najib Razak continues to serve his sentence in connection with the 1MDB scandal, while further decisions on his remaining charges are expected later this month.
The government has not commented further on the impact of the latest decision, but the withdrawal of the appeal brings an end to one of the long running cases surrounding the former first family.