Attorney General Vs. Subramaniam Ramani – CA LA 03/14-2022

In the case between Hon. Attorney General and Subramaniam Ramani, the court addressed the legality of the sources of funds used for property purchases, specifically whether these funds originated from illicit narcotics activities and thus constituted money laundering. The court held that the prosecution established a prima facie case by invoking the statutory rebuttable presumption under the Money Laundering Act, which the accused failed to rebut with adequate evidence. It was determined that the trial judge erred in applying the relevant legal standards regarding mens rea and the “reason to believe” threshold, resulting in an improper acquittal. The appellate court set aside the acquittal and ordered a retrial, reiterating the principle that once the prosecution establishes a connection t