Malaysian prosecutors have dropped their appeal against the acquittal of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, in a high-profile money laundering and tax evasion case, citing no realistic chance of success.
Rosmah, 74, was acquitted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in December 2024 of 12 money laundering charges involving more than RM7 million and five counts of failing to declare income, after the judge ruled that the prosecution had not established the necessary elements of the alleged offences.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) formally withdrew its appeal at the Court of Appeal on Dec. 9, vacating the scheduled case management hearing and effectively ending the challenge to her acquittal. In a statement, the AGC said the decision followed a review of the High Court judgment and was influenced by the absence of key witnesses required to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
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Rosmah’s lawyer welcomed the development, saying the withdrawal confirmed that the original acquittal was sound and that she had been fully vindicated after maintaining her innocence throughout the legal proceedings.
The decision does not affect other ongoing legal matters involving Rosmah. She is separately appealing a 10-year prison sentence and a nearly RM1 billion fine imposed in a corruption case linked to a multi-million-ringgit solar power project, with that appeal still pending before the Court of Appeal.
Her husband, Najib, who is serving a six-year sentence for graft and money laundering related to the 1MDB scandal, is also awaiting key court decisions on his own legal challenges.
