Malaysian court acquits wife of ex-PM Najib of money laundering and tax evasion

19/12/2024 15:47

Malaysia's High Court on Thursday acquitted Rosmah Mansor, the wife of jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak, of money laundering and tax evasion, citing insufficient grounds to charge her.



Najib and Rosmah have been the subject of multiple graft investigations since Najib's surprise election defeat in 2018, when voters' fury over his alleged role in a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) ended his nine years in power. Both have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Rosmah is not yet out of the woods, however, and is currently free on bail pending an appeal against a 10-year jail sentence in 2022 for soliciting and receiving bribes to help a company win a $279 million solar power supply project from Najib's government.



Rosmah has been widely scorned in Malaysia for her extravagant lifestyle and penchant for luxury handbags, more than 500 of which were found at properties searched by police as part of investigations into the 1MDB scandal, on top of 12,000 items of jewellery.