No trace of 40 items worth US$13.6m sent to Rosmah, claims Lebanese jeweller

After inspecting photographs of the 12,000 pieces of jewellery seized from residences linked to Najib Abdul Razak, a Lebanese jeweller claimed that only four of the 44 items it had sent to the former premier's wife Rosmah Mansor are in police custody.

In view of this, Global Royalty Trading's (SAL) lawyer David Gurupatham said he is amending the statement of claim with regard to the firm's RM60 million suit filed against Rosmah in June last year over the 44 pieces.

"We are stating in the amended statement of claim that only four items are in police custody.

"The four items are a diamond pear-shaped ring worth US$325,000, a diamond oval ring (US$125,000), a diamond oval bracelet (US$444,000) and a diamond emerald bracelet (US$220,500)," he told Malaysiakini.

He added that the amended statement of claim would be filed soon to mention the missing pieces amounting to US$13,672,500.

For the record, the 44 items are worth US$14,787,000. The pieces were sent to Rosmah in February 2018, three months ahead of the 14th general election, which witnessed her husband ousted from power.

Following the election, police raided Najib's house and several other residences in connection with their investigation into the 1MDB scandal, where apart from jewellery, branded handbags, watches, sunglasses, cash in various currencies and vehicles were also seized.

'Rosmah claimed items were seized'

Previously, Global Royalty Trading had said that when the items were delivered, Rosmah confirmed and accepted the terms, as well as conditions in Memorandum No. 926 relating to the jewellery.

Subsequently, Rosmah, in a letter dated May 22 last year, confirmed and acknowledged receiving the jewellery, but stated they were no longer in her possession and were seized by the authorities.

In May this year, Gurupatham said his client had sought to become an intervenor in the government's forfeiture suit against the items seized.

“We have written to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to ask for the details of the forfeiture suit. They have replied and so now we will intervene in the action.

“We will verify whether the pieces of jewellery are there and what is not there. Then we will proceed with the trial,” he had said.

On May 7, the AGC filed a notice of forfeiture over hundreds of items, including branded handbags and 27 vehicles seized from Najib, Rosmah, their three children and 13 individuals, as well as companies.

Malaysiakini is attempting to contact Rosmah and the police for comment. - Mkini