RM60mil lawsuit against Rosmah to proceed once police confirm jewellery in their custody, says lawyer
Tuesday, 26 Feb 20193:29 PM MYT
by nurbaiti hamdan
KUALA LUMPUR: The lawsuit filed by a Lebanese jeweller firm against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor in its bid to recover 44 pieces of jewellery worth US$14.79mil (about RM60mil) will go to trial once the police confirm they seized the jewellery.
Lawyer N. Rajivan, who represented the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said the High Court had adjourned the matter pending the deadline for confirmation by police on whether the 44 pieces were part of a 12,000-piece haul during a series of raids after the 14th General Election last May.
He said the court has also dismissed his application for a stay of the proceedings.
“Trial dates that were previously fixed for March 4 and 5 have been vacated and the court has fixed May 24 for case management to fix the new trial dates,” he told the press after the case was brought for case management in the chambers of Judicial Commissioner Wong Chee Lin here on Tuesday (Feb 26).
Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk David Gurupatham, who represented jeweller firm Global Royalty Trading, said the court was satisfied with the explanation by Senior Federal Counsel S. Narkunavathy who acted for the government over the process of the police investigation with regard to the 44 pieces of jewellery.
In June 2018, Beirut-based Global Royalty Trading filed an RM60mil suit against Rosmah over the 44 pieces of jewellery allegedly sent to her earlier that year, and which had been seized by the police.
The firm, in its statement of claim, said the former premier's wife had acknowledged in a letter on May 22 that she received the items.
Global Royalty Trading said in its statement of claim dated Feb 10 that the 44 pieces of jewellery comprising a tiara, diamond necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings, were sent to Rosmah.
The statement of claim added that while Rosmah had acknowledged in writing to receiving the consignment, the items were no longer in her custody.
The police raided several houses linked to Najib over a few days beginning May 16.
The jewellery firm is seeking a declaration from the court that it is the rightful owner of the 44 items.
It is also seeking a mandatory order for the items to be returned and failure to do so, for Rosmah to pay the amount based on the value of the items.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/02/26/rm60mil-lawsuit-against-rosmah-to-proceed-once-police-confirm-jewellery-in-their-custody-says-lawyer/#icu76ts9rWMSZcVq.99
