Malaysia Ex-PM’s Wife Rosmah Arrested, To Be Charged With Money Laundering

Rosmah Mansor, wife of Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak, has been detained on October 3 by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). According to a press statement, she was arrested at 3.20pm while giving her statement at the agency’s headquarters in Putrajaya. Her arrest had been expected after earlier interrogations since last week.

It is understood that the 66-year-old will be charged on October 4 with money laundering and other unlawful activities related to scandal-ridden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

It was her third appointment with the MACC officials. On June 5, she was questioned for about five hours by MACC investigators over a probe into SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary. On September 26, Rosmah was called in for a second round of questioning – this time on 1MDB – which lasted almost 13 hours.

MACC Chief Commissioner Shukri Abdull was quoted as saying on September 24 that the investigations on Rosmah had been completed and the report had been submitted to the Attorney General. He said then that it was up to him to prosecute Rosmah.

Investigations have centered on her role in the 1MDB scandal, for which her deposed husband Najib is also facing criminal charges that could see him spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted.

Rosmah has been compared with Imelda Marcos, the spouse of the corruption-tainted late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, because of their extravagant spending habits. Bags of jewelry, cash and luxury purses seized from Najib’s properties in June – soon after his shock election defeat to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad – were valued at some $273 million. Among the items were Hermes Birkin bags worth upwards of $100,000 each.

Source: Investment.com