KUALA LUMPUR (May 12): Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is seeking to have all her charges in her money laundering and tax evasion trial involving RM7.1 million dropped.

During brief proceedings before High Court judge K Muniandy, Rosmah's counsel Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent said that a letter of representation was sent to the Attorney General's Chambers on May 3. Geethan confirmed that it was to withdraw all 17 charges faced by Rosmah. 

A letter of representation is usually sent by lawyers seeking to reduce or withdraw the charges against the accused.

Geethan added that the letter of representation had raised facts from Rosmah's previous trial where she was convicted of all three graft charges concerning a solar hybrid project involving 369 rural schools in Sarawak. Her appeal for the matter comes up in July.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib confirmed the matter, saying there were "serious legal issues" raised in the letter sent by Rosmah.

He added that due to the complexity of the issues presented in the letter, the prosecution needs about two months to consider and sort out the matter.

Earlier, Geethan had also asked for the trial, which was slated to begin on Friday (May 12), to be vacated as the defence wanted the letter of representation to be decided upon before the trial commences.  

Akram also told the court that as he was occupied with trials for the week, he has yet to brief the AG and his superiors on the contents of the letter.

"New issues were raised in the representation. So, [we] need a new write-up to properly brief my superiors," he said.

Muniandy then noted that the court was ready for the trial to commence on Friday and asked if the prosecution was ready too.

However, Akram replied in the negative, given the issues raised in the letter of representation.

The High Court judge also asked the prosecution to keep the court informed if the letter of representation is accepted.

The trial was then vacated, and the matter is now slated to continue on Aug 24. Should the AG reject the letter of representation, the trial will proceed then.

In this trial, Rosmah faces 17 charges involving RM7.1 million transferred into her personal bank account between 2013 and 2017.

The charges were framed under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

On the first eight counts, she is charged with money laundering by directly engaging in a transaction involving proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to RM1.1 million that were deposited into her account.

On the ninth to 12th counts, she is charged with directly engaging in 227 transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activities totalling RM6 million, which were also deposited into her account.

On the 13th to 17th counts, she is charged with engaging in money laundering by failing to file a return on the sum that was deposited into her account as required under the Income Tax Act 1967.