Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan has set 17 days beginning Nov 15 for the trial.

Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn said Zaini fixed the dates during case management today.

He said another case management has been fixed for Sept 9 and the hearing will be held for 17 days between Nov 15 and Jan 27.

The prosecution will call about 15 witnesses to testify, Poh told Bernama.

Lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent, who is representing the wife of the former prime minister, confirmed the trial dates.

The prosecution has also informed the court it would not be applying to transfer the trial to another court, he said.

On Dec 18 last year, Zaini had suggested that the trial be transferred to another judge to enable it to be heard earlier, or to maintain the trial at his court.

Rosmah’s money laundering and tax evasion case had earlier been fixed to begin in May last year but had been vacated because of her ongoing corruption case involving the solar hybrid project.

On Feb 18, Zaini ordered Rosmah, 69, to enter her defence on all three corruption charges. The court fixed nine days in June and July to hear evidence from Rosmah and other defence witnesses.

Rosmah is facing 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

The money laundering charges were framed under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 and punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same law, which provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of unlawful activity or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The charges for tax evasion, made under Section 77 (1) of the Income Tax Act 1967, said she failed to furnish returns of her income for the assessment years 2013 to 2017 to the LHDN director-general without reasonable excuse contrary to Section 112 of the law.