AROUND RM600,000 in various currencies that were once claimed by Najib Razak’s stepson, Riza Aziz, will be forfeited as part of a plea deal, the Kuala Lumpur High Court was informed today.
Riza is among respondents from Najib’s family that are targeted in a RM680 million forfeiture suit by Putrajaya of items seized on May 17, June 11 and August 2, 2018.
Among items that will be forfeited on Riza’s part will be RM537,000 in cash, £2,700 (RM14,370) and Sri Lanka rupee 2,870,000 (RM67,172), the deputy public prosecutor told the court during case management today.
This follows the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) granted to Riza by a separate court over his US$248 million money-laundering case of funds allegedly stolen from 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
The DNAA was part of an agreement for him to return US$107 million.
Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the forfeiture of goods seized from the homes of Riza, former prime minister Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor on May 17.
Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin informed the court of the deal following reaching agreement to forfeit their properties in Malaysia and the United States.
Lawyers Syahirah Hanapiah, who appeared for Najib, and Azrul Zulkifli Stork, who represented Rosmah and Riza, did not object. Riza was absent from court today.
On May 7 last year, Putrajaya filed a forfeiture notice for hundreds of items, including designer handbags and watches, properties, vehicles and cash, seized from Najib, Rosmah and their three children, including Riza, and other individuals and companies linked to the couple.
Nor Ashman Razak and Nooryana Najwa were the couple’s other two children named in the suit.
Other respondents were Kyizzad, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara, former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, Ng’s wife Lim Hwee Bin, and Low Taek Jho’s mother Goh Gaik Ewe and his alleged associates Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun.
Forfeiture case against Najib, family to begin on August 24
THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has set August 24 to begin hearing in the government’s RM680 million forfeiture suit against Najib Razak and his family.
The former prime minister and the government, meanwhile, have August 11 and August 18 as deadlines to file their replies, respectively.
Neither Najib nor his any family member was present during case management today.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Fatin Hussin leads the prosecution while Najib ias represented by Nur Syahirah Hanapiah. Lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork appears for Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Zaini previously set March 23 and then May 4 for case management, but both dates were vacated due to the movement-control order.
On May 7 last year, Putrajaya filed a forfeiture notice for hundreds of items, including handbags, watches, properties, vehicles and cash, seized from Najib, Rosmah and their three children, including Riza Aziz and several other individuals and companies.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission seized the items, allegedly linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, on May 17, June 11 and August 2, 2018.
On February 3 this year, Zaini allowed applications by Najib, Rosmah and their daughter Nooryana Najwa to inspect the items, which are kept in a vault in Bank Negara.
On February 22, Najib and his family went to the central bank, where they spent three hours inspecting the said items.
On July 18 last year, Najib filed a notice of motion to inspect and obtain particulars on the assets on the grounds that some of the boxes, handbags and containers seized had been removed from their original wrapping, and this caused confusion in the identification process.
Rosmah and Nooryana, meanwhile, filed an application for leave to be allowed to inspect the items.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT
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