KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court is to hear applications by former prime minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and a jewellery to obtain photographs of more than 12,000 items of luxury goods by police in November 2018.
The items, totalling RM680 million in value, are allegedly linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal.
They comprise 11,991 items of jewellery, 401 watches and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of eyewear and 306 handbags, as well as cash amounting to RM114,164,393.44 in various denominations.
They were seized from an apartment in Kuala Lumpur belonging to Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd, a company owned by a Sarawak businessman. The government is seeking to forfeit the items.
Najib, Rosmah and jewellery firm Global Royalty Trading SAL seek to physically inspect the seized goods.
Their application will be heard on Feb 19. High Court Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin set the date after lawyers for Najib, Rosmah and Global Realty Trading informed the court that their clients, as third parties in the forfeiture application, had submitted their applications last year.
Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin requested for more time from the court to allow the prosecution to file an affidavit-in-reply relating to the applications.
Counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, representing Obyu Holdings, told the court that his client had filed a preliminary objection against the prosecution’s application, following which the court set the same date (Feb 19) to hear the notice.
Kamarul Hisham said Sarawak-based businessman, Bustari Yusof, had stated his intention to become a third party in the assets forfeiture application, which had no objections from the prosecution.
Obyu Holdings is owned by Bustari, the younger brother of former Works Minister Fadillah Yusof.
A major portion of the luxury items seized by the police was reported to have been from an apartment belonging to Obyu Holdings. In addition, a piece of property in Kuala Lumpur was also seized on Nov 1, 2018.
The prosecution had filed the application to forfeit the assets under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Prior to this, MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya announced that a civil forfeiture suit had been filed against 41 respondents in a bid to recover about RM270 million in funds allegedly misappropriated from state-owned sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
Najib was represented by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah while Rosmah was represented by Iskandar Shah Ibrahim. Global Royalty was represented by P.Thilagam.
Earlier today, Najib and his family were granted their application to physically inspect items allegedly bought with funds siphoned from 1MDB.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said they should be given the opportunity to conduct the inspection to put up a defence in response to the seized items.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said they should be given the opportunity to conduct the inspection to put up a defence in response to the seized items.
“The inspection can be done only once within the next two weeks,” the judge said.
The application was filed by Najib, Rosmah and their daughter Nooryana Najwa following a forfeiture suit filed by the government.
Among the items are 315 handbags of various luxury brands, 14 watches and 27 pairs of shoes of various brands, as well as cash in various currencies. - FMT
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