Rosmah seeks RM500,000 security costs from Lebanese jeweller

The High Court here today fixed Sept 11 to hear two applications filed by the former prime minister's wife, Rosmah Mansor including seeking RM500,000 in security costs from Lebanese jewellery Global Royalty Trading SAL.

Global Royalty Trading SAL had sued Rosmah on June 26 last year, to seek the return of 44 pieces of jewelleries sent to her for selection or pay the price of all the items amounting to US$14.79 million or almost RM60 million.

Lawyer Datuk David Gurupatham, who is acting on behalf of the Lebanese jewellery firm, told reporters that the defendant (Rosmah) also filed another application to get an expert to verify the jewellery seized for forfeiture.

"The defendant filed two applications on Friday (Aug 16), so we obviously need to respond to the applications and affidavit in reply,” he told reporters after case management which was mentioned in chambers before High Court Judge Wong Chee Lin.

David said they will amend their statement of claim to reflect the present changes and the matter will also be heard on that day (Sept 11).

He said the trial for the suit will proceed on Sept 17 as scheduled and they will be calling three witnesses.

Meanwhile, lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent, who is representing Rosmah, said the defendant sought a sum of RM500,000 as security costs, and is applying for an independent jeweller to assess four out of the 44 pieces of jewellery which Rosmah alleged are now with the police.

"We are seeking a sum of RM500,000 as security costs, but the plaintiff is objecting to the amount. However, they agreed to the appointment of an independent jeweller to assess the four items," he said, adding that the defendant asked for security costs as the case involved a foreign company.

Last Feb 14, the High Court ordered Rosmah to check and confirm in seven days the existence of the 44 pieces of jewellery that were in her possession before the seizure by police.

In its suit, Global Royalty claimed that on Feb 10, 2018, they 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 (RM3.8mil) to the defendant through a courier via its two agents.

The company said Rosmah confirmed and accepted the terms and conditions, in Memorandum No. 926 relating to the jewellery.

It also claimed that Rosmah, in a letter dated May 22, 2018, also confirmed and acknowledged receiving the jewellery concerned, but said all the jewellery were no longer in her possession, and they had been confiscated and were now being kept by the Malaysian authorities.

Global Royalty is seeking the court´s declaration that the firm was the owner of the 44 pieces of jewellery, apart from an order that ownership of the jewellery was not transferred to the defendant.

It is also seeking a mandatory order for Rosmah to provide a list of the jewellery seized, for the jewellery to be returned, or for Rosmah to pay the price of the jewellery of US$14.79mil (RM59.83mil).

- Bernama