Rosmah: I did not seek jewellery, firm sent me items for ‘publicity’

 

Rosmah Mansor contended that a Lebanese jewellery firm sent her millions of ringgit worth of jewellery as part of business publicity without her asking for it.

The wife of incarcerated former prime minister Najib made this contention in her statement of defence against the refiled RM67.46 million jewellery lawsuit against her by Global Royalty Trading SAL.

In the defence filed at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday (June 6), the defendant claimed that the plaintiff wanted publicity for its business as she was the wife of then-prime minister Najib and was interested in her becoming its client.

“Therefore, the items (jewellery) were sent to the defendant for the defendant to peruse (the jewellery) on the intent and wish of the plaintiff itself, and without obligation on the part of the defendant to buy the items.

“The defendant denies that the defendant had asked for the jewellery pieces as stated by the plaintiff.

“The defendant states here that the purpose of the jewellery pieces being sent to her was for the plaintiff’s own benefit and profit (manfaat dan keuntungan plaintif sendiri) by collecting, obtaining and/or attracting publicity among buyers,” Rosmah contended in the filing sighted by Malaysiakini.

Back in April, Global Royalty refiled the RM67.46 million civil action against Rosmah, seeking the return of jewellery items the plaintiff claimed to have been sent to the defendant for viewing purposes.

Instead of its return, the firm is seeking to recover the cost of the jewellery at RM67,461,027 (equivalent to US$14,567 270).

Previously, in 2019, the firm filed a suit for 44 pieces of jewellery worth US$14.79 million or almost RM60 million but withdrew it later.

Global Royalty claimed that in 2018, Rosmah had written to it to confirm receipt of the jewellery but claimed that all the jewellery was no longer in her possession because it was seized and placed under the custody of the authorities.

Following the 14th general election in May of that year, the then Pakatan Harapan administration took over from the Najib-led government, and the former prime minister was subjected to various seizures, investigations, and court cases linked to the troubled Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.

In her statement of defence, Rosmah contended that the clause in the agreement between her and Global Royalty was that the jewellery pieces were delivered to her for her perusal and inspection and that only if she were interested would a separate bill of sale be issued.

“The defendant emphasises that she had taken ordinary prudence care to ensure the jewellery’s safety. The defendant would provide details of the safety steps taken during the upcoming hearing (of the civil action).

“Therefore, the defendant cannot be made responsible for the loss of the jewellery pieces because they were taken by the Royal Malaysian Police and/or the Malaysian government via operation of law, and the defendant is not the cause of the loss of the jewellery pieces,” Rosmah claimed.

She further contended that she cannot be made liable to the firm over the loss of the jewellery in that the seizure of the items by the authorities is unforeseeable and that only the Malaysian government can be made to pay for the loss suffered by the company.

In its original suit, Global Royalty claimed that on Feb 10, 2018, it sent 44 pieces of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras, each worth between US$124,000 (RM519,183) and US$925,000 (RM3.8 million) to the defendant, hand-delivered via two of its agents.

The company alleged that she had acknowledged receipt of the items.

When contacted by Malaysiakini recently, Rosmah’s counsel Rajivan Nambiar confirmed that the statement of defence was filed yesterday afternoon and that copies of the filing have been served on the jewellery firm’s lawyers from law firm David Gurupatham and Koay.

Malaysiakini is attempting to contact Global Royalty’s legal team over the matter. - Mkini