Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is officially free from a long-running RM7 million money laundering and tax-evasion case after the prosecution decided to withdraw its appeal against her December 2024 acquittal. The move brings the proceedings to a complete close, ending all 17 charges previously levelled against her.
Rosmah’s legal team confirmed that the prosecution’s decision effectively upholds the High Court’s ruling that had cleared her of every allegation. Her lawyers expressed relief, noting that the withdrawal serves as confirmation that the High Court’s judgment—delivered by Justice K. Muniandy before his elevation to the Court of Appeal—had been both valid and just. They described the outcome as a significant turning point that affirms Rosmah’s long-maintained claim of innocence.
The Court of Appeal was informed through a notice dated December 9 that the public prosecutor no longer intended to pursue the appeal. No reasons were provided for the change of direction. The court subsequently notified the High Court that the appeal was deemed dismissed under the Rules of the Court of Appeal 1994, making the withdrawal official and final.
Rosmah had previously been accused of laundering RM7,097,750 through 235 transactions deposited into her Affin Bank account between late 2013 and mid-2017. Additional charges were tied to alleged failures to declare the same amount to the Inland Revenue Board over five consecutive tax years. All allegations were brought under Malaysia’s anti-money laundering laws.
In December 2024, Justice Muniandy had allowed Rosmah’s application to strike out all charges, citing issues related to how the case had been constructed and how the charges were framed. That decision ended the trial at the High Court level, and the prosecution initially signaled its intention to challenge the ruling before reversing course this week.
Despite this acquittal now being sealed, Rosmah continues to face a separate legal battle. Her appeal is ongoing in a high-profile corruption case connected to a RM1.25 billion solar hybrid energy project for rural Sarawak schools. She had been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined RM970 million, though the sentence remains suspended pending the outcome of her appeal.
Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, now sees one of her major legal challenges resolved, while another continues to move through the appellate courts.
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