• Malaysia's Attorney General drops appeal against Rosmah Mansor's acquittal.
• Rosmah was cleared of 17 charges related to money laundering and tax evasion.
• The prosecution cited inability to prove charges due to witness issues.
• Rosmah remains involved in other ongoing corruption trials.
• The case is part of wider investigations linked to the 1MDB scandal.

Malaysian prosecutors have officially dropped their appeal against the acquittal of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Prime Minister Najib Razak. The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) stated that they saw "no reasonable prospect of success," particularly due to the challenges in securing witness testimonies, as key witnesses have either died or become untraceable, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

Rosmah was previously acquitted of 12 charges of money laundering and five charges of tax evasion by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in December 2024. Her lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, expressed relief at the prosecution's decision, reiterating that Rosmah has consistently maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings. The AGC's decision not to continue the appeal is said to stem from an inability to provide sufficient evidence to meet the criminal standard required, as some integral witnesses could no longer be located, as reported by Channel News Asia.

This withdrawal from the appeal does not, however, conclude all legal troubles for Rosmah. She remains out on bail during an ongoing appeal concerning a previous conviction where she received a 10-year prison sentence related to corruption involving a $279 million solar power project, as noted by Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Channel News Asia.

The legal debacle surrounding Rosmah and Najib is closely tied to the wider 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, which has engrossed Malaysian politics since 2018. Najib himself faces imprisonment following his conviction for his direct involvement in this scandal, with significant upcoming court decisions on his status expected later in December. This environment of ongoing legal scrutiny highlights the complex landscape of Malaysian governance and corruption, as reported by Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Channel News Asia.