Headlines
  • False or misleading informations are spread by organizations posing as legitimate media outlets in an attempt to twist public opinion in favor of a certain ideology.
  • On social media,watch out for fake messages,pictures,Videos and news.
  • Always Check Independent Fact Checking Sites if You Have Some Doubts About the Authenticity of Any Information or Picture or video.
  • Check Google Images for AuthThe Google Reverse Images search can helps you.
  • It Would Be Better to Ignore Social Media Messages that are forwarded from Unknown or Little-Known Sources.
  • If a fake message asks you to share something, you can quickly recognize it as fake messege.
  • It is a heinous crime and punishable offence to post obscene, morphed images of women on social media networks, sometimes even in pornographic websites, as retaliation.
  • Deepfakes use artificial intelligence (AI)-driven deep learning software to manipulate preexisting photographs, videos, or audio recordings of a person to create new, fake images, videos, and audio recordings.
  • AI technology has the ability to manipulate media and swap out a genuine person's voice and likeness for similar counter parts.
  • Deepfake creators use this fake substance to spread misinformation and other illegal activities.Deepfakes are frequently used on social networking sites to elicit heated responses or defame opponents.
  • One can identify AI created fake videos by identifying abnormal eye movement, Unnatural facial expressions, a lack of feeling, awkward-looking hand,body or posture,unnatural physical movement or form, unnatural coloring, Unreal-looking hair,teeth that don't appear natural, Blurring, inconsistent audio or noise, images that appear unnatural when slowed down, differences between hashtags blockchain-based digital fingerprints, reverse image searches.
  • Look for details,like stange background,orientation of teeth,handsclothing,asymmetrical facial features,use reverse image search tools.

More Details

Court Sentences Najib’s Wife to 10 Years for Bribery

Muzliza Mustafa and Iman Muttaqin Yusof/Kuala Lumpur

A body guard and aides escort former Malaysian first lady Rosmah Mansor from the Kuala Lumpur court complex following her bribery conviction, Sept. 1, 2022.Photo Courtesy:S. Mahfuz/BenarNews

A Malaysian court on Thursday sentenced former first lady Rosmah Mansor to 10 years in prison for bribery during the administration of her husband, Najib Razak, the former prime minister who was put behind bars last week for corruption.

Rosmah, 70, who was known for her lavish lifestyle and fondness for Hermès Birkin bags, was fined 970 million ringgit (U.S. $216 million) for seeking and taking bribes in exchange for helping a company secure a government contract.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court stayed her sentence pending an appeal.

The prosecutors had succeeded in proving the case against the defendant, High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan ruled in delivering a 116-page judgment.

“The accused has failed to rebut the prosecution on a balance of probabilities on all three charges. … The accused is therefore guilty on all three charges,” Mohamed Zaini said.

The former first lady had been charged with soliciting 187.5 million ringgit (U.S. $41.89 million) in bribes and accepting 6.5 million ringgit (U.S. $1.45 million) in bribes from the company, Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, to help it land a contract to provide solar hybrid energy to more than 300 schools in rural Sarawak, a Malaysian state in Borneo.

The judge sentenced Rosmah to 10 years on each of the charges, with the sentences to run concurrently, in addition to fining her. He warned that she could be ordered to serve the sentences consecutively plus an additional 10 years – bringing her sentence to 40 years – if she failed to pay the fine.

Earlier in the day, after the judge spent much of the morning listening to arguments made by Rosmah’s defense team, he dismissed their application seeking his removal from the case and a retrial after a purported copy of the verdict was leaked online last week.

Rosmah for her part, asked the court for leniency.

“Look at me as a woman, have compassion and some humanity,” she pleaded.

She also told the court about her efforts to help the nation’s children.

“I was once first lady and I even contributed through Permata and the setting up of a court to deal with sexual harassment of children,” she said referring to the country’s early childhood learning program to help troubled children or children with autism.

Rosmah’s lawyers listed six mitigating factors regarding sentencing, the judge’s order said.

The factors included: “[T]he accused is a single mother, as her husband, Najib had recently been found guilty and sentenced to twelve years imprisonment commencing from 23 August 2022. She is the one taking care of the household including her grandchildren;” and “She is a housewife with no source of income, and has no savings to pay any fines imposed.”

Last week, the Federal Court upheld 69-year-old Najib’s conviction in a case related to 1MDB subsidiary SRC International, and sent him to prison to serve his 12-year sentence for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

‘Message to would-be offenders’

The former first couple’s fall from grace began when Najib’s longtime ruling coalition suffered a shock electoral defeat in May 2018, after U.S. and Malaysian authorities exposed a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition, which pulled off a stunning election victory, promptly launched an investigation into 1MDB. Najib, Rosmah, their children and close associates were investigated for alleged crimes including corruption, money laundering, criminal breach of trust and tax evasion.

That same month, police conducted searches of Najib’s properties and seized hundreds of designer handbags, more than 10,000 pieces of jewelry and 117 million ringgit in cash of different currencies. Officials estimated the value of the items seized and cash was between 900 million and 1.1 billion ringgit ($200 million and $245 million).

In court on Thursday, Rosmah’s defense team led by lawyer Jagjit Singh sought a one-day prison sentence and a reasonable fine.

What she got instead was the largest fine handed imposed by a Malaysian court, Singh said.

“The fine is nearly 1 billion ringgit. Who can afford to pay such an amount,” he told reporters gathered in the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur court building.

For his part, lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram said the sentence should serve as a deterrent for others.

“We are not here to say that we are happy or not happy with the sentencing. We are just doing our job,” he told reporters.

“Sentencing is never easy. The judge thought 10 years was fair,” he said, adding his team does not plan to appeal. “The purpose of this trial is to send a clear message to would-be offenders and to stop them in their tracks.”

Rosmah’s lawyers, on the other hand, said they would appeal the ruling.

Meanwhile, Rosmah faces a second trial on 17 charges of money laundering and tax evasion for allegedly receiving 7.1 million ringgit ($1.6 million) between 2013 and 2017, in a separate case.

‘Victory for rule of law’

Reactions to the verdict in Rosmah’s case were mixed.

Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow with the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, said the court showed that the prosecution proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt – which led to the prison sentence and fine.

“Rosmah Mansor still has two chances – appeal court and federal court to appeal the verdict. I think we need to wait and see what will happen after this,” he told BenarNews.

Bridget Welsh, a local political analyst, praised the verdict.

“The decision is another victory for the rule of law. Unelected Rosmah, arguably was one of the most influential figures during the Najib administration and was seen by many to abuse her power. Now, one fewer man and woman above the law,” she said on Twitter.

“Much less sympathy in Malaysia and UMNO for her, as some blame her for Najib’s downfall.”

Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi, however, believed that many UMNO supporters would be upset that Najib and Rosmah both were found guilty.

“Truth be told, the conviction of Rosmah and Najib in Malay culture is considered inappropriate because they have contributed so much to the country with various transformations,” the associate professor at University Malaya told BenarNews.

“This influences so many conservative UMNO voters.”

Copyright ©2015-2022, BenarNews. Used with the permission of BenarNews.

Related Article

In Post-Hasina Bangladesh,Awami League Faces Uncertain…

With its leaders in jail or fleeing from justice, the party that led Bangladesh to independence and ...
October 29, 2024

In Rare Appeal, Tibetan Calls for…

A Tibetan from Sichuan province has made a rare public appeal on Chinese social media, calling on au ...
October 21, 2024

Real Estate Prices Skyrocket as Yangon…

Myanmar’s civil war is driving up housing demand in Yangon, causing rents to skyrocket as people d ...
October 20, 2024

Young Female Tibetan Cricketer Breaks into…

Jetsun Narbu, 19, aims to join the national team while highlighting her Tibetan heritage. By Dechen ...
October 11, 2024

Bangladesh Finds Infamous ‘Secret’ Detention Center…

A new Bangladesh inquiry commission said Thursday it had found an infamous “secret” detention ce ...
October 5, 2024

Tibetan Monk Jailed for 18 Months…

A Tibetan monk has been sentenced to over 18 months in prison on charges of sharing a speech by Tibe ...
September 25, 2024

Other Article

Freedom of Press

Analysts Say,Lack of Justice Makes Media…

Attacks on journalists happen with impunity in countries that are experiencing internal conflict or ...
November 6, 2024
Video Report

Slain Pakistani Journalist’s Widow Losing Hope…

The widow of a prominent journalist from Pakistan who was killed in Kenya two years ago is losing ho ...
November 5, 2024
Pick of the Day

UN Security Council Meets to Discuss…

United Nations Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and Democratic People’s Republic of K ...
November 4, 2024
Video Report

In Spain’s Deadliest Modern Natural Disaster,…

In the wake of the deadliest flash floods in Spain's modern history, the government says, that over ...
Video Report

The Lessons of War:Survival Classes Introduced…

In order to educate students lifetime lessons on survival and patriotism, Ukrainian schools have int ...
November 2, 2024
Video Report

Cybercrime in Nigeria:Inside a “hustle kingdom”

In West Africa, particularly in Ghana and Nigeria, there is a rise in informal academies known as "h ...
November 1, 2024

[wp-rss-aggregator feeds="crime-more-world"]
Top