Rosmah describes Najib's 1MDB audit tampering case acquittal as a victory for their family
KUALA LUMPUR - Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor describes the High Court's decision acquitting her husband Datuk Seri Najib Razak from the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) audit report tampering charge as a victory for their family.
"I managed to meet my husband and he expressed gratitude for the decision.
"Alhamdulillah, this is not only a victory for my husband but our family as well as it lifts up our spirits," she said when met after the court delivered its verdict over the case.
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah who represented Najib said he hoped that the decision would be the beginning of all good things to come.
"I am confident we will be able to show he is innocent in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case if the Federal Court allows a retrial," he said.
Earlier, Najib and former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy were acquitted of the 1MDB audit report tampering charges.
Trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan (now Court of Appeal judge) made the decision after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the duo.
The former prime minister's expression changed immediately upon hearing the court’s verdict.
The former Pekan MP then stepped out of the dock and hugged his daughter Nooryana Najwa, 34, and his wife at the public gallery.
Clad in a black suit, Najib who was accompanied by the Kajang prison officers thanked and expressed gratitude to his supporters.
Najib, 70, was charged with abusing his power to instruct the amendments to the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee's final audit report on 1MDB to prevent criminal or civil action against him.
Meanwhile, Arul, 46, was charged with abetting Najib.
The offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya between Feb 22 and Feb 26, 2016.
Najib is currently serving his 12-year jail sentence at the Kajang prison after he lost in his final appeal at the Federal Court to set aside his conviction, jail sentence and fine over the misappropriation of RM42 million funds belonging to SRC International.
He has filed a review of the top court's decision.
