Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and a Lebanese jewellery firm are awaiting the green light from the National Security Council (NSC) to allow them to inspect seized 1MDB-linked jewellery being kept at the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) vault.
This is because previously scheduled inspections from July 12 to 15 could not be carried out due to the ongoing movement control order (MCO) which will also clash with the next scheduled dates from Aug 2 to 5.
When contacted today, deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin said she informed Kuala Lumpur High Court of the matter this morning.
Earlier today, there was online case management of the 1MDB-linked forfeiture suit against Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Najib, Rosmah and Global Royalty Trading SAL are third party claimants seeking to inspect the 11,991 pieces of jewellery seized from the Pavilion Residences, Kuala Lumpur in May 2018. The residences are owned by Obyu Holdings, the respondent in the forfeiture suit.
Previously, it was reported that the court set the dates in July and August to allow the trio to inspect the jewellery as part of their third-party claims to some of the items which were seized during the investigations into the 1MDB affair.
Faten said she informed the court today that the inspection at the Bank Negara vault could not be carried out to the MCO imposed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Health Ministry had today announced another 16,117 new Covid-19 cases nationwide.
“I had proposed (during case management proceedings) that physical inspection be carried out only when the NSC gives permission for group activities in closed-off locations after taking into account current developments such as the risk of the pandemic spreading, among others.
“At the moment, it is very risky because the BNM vault is closed-off (area).
“Inspection would involve the presence of many people, not just the third party claimants seeking to inspect but police personnel who need to maintain security (there are nearly 12,000 units of the impugned jewellery worth millions of ringgit).
“It needs to be carried out over several days (as previously explained by the prosecution based on simulations).
“There is also now the existence of a new Covid-19 variant that can be spread through the air.
“Counsel (for the third party claimants) agreed (to my proposal) and left it to the court,” she said, adding that the matter has been fixed for further case management on Sept 9.
Handbags, spectacles
When contacted today, Global Royalty Trading’s lawyer David Gurupatham confirmed the outcome of today’s case management.
“My client Sameer Halimeh of Global Royalty (Trading) is waiting to come to Malaysia.
“He will comply with all the requirements required by the (Malaysian) government regarding quarantine (among others),” he said.
In 2019, the government filed a RM680 million forfeiture suit against Obyu Holdings.
It seeks to forfeit various seized items including 11,991 units of jewellery, 401 watch straps and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of spectacles and 306 handbags, as well as cash in various denominations amounting to RM114,164,393.44.
The items were seized by the authorities as part of the probe into the 1MDB affair.
On July 25 last year, Najib and Rosmah inspected a total of 306 handbags, 401 watches, 16 watch accessories and 234 spectacles which were also seized from the same premises.
On May 20 this year, the court dismissed the prosecution’s bid to forfeit the RM114 million in cash forming part of the seized items in the suit against Obyu Holdings. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove that the money was laundered from 1MDB proceeds.
That ruling was granted as part of third party claims by Umno and its former president Najib regarding the RM114 million.
However, the suit for the remainder of the seized items is still ongoing before judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin. - Mkini
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