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Malaysia's Rosmah says she’s not responsible for loss of jewellery

PETALING JAYA - Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, has told a High Court she is not responsible for the loss of 43 pieces of jewellery belonging to a Lebanese company.

In her defence statement, she said the items were taken by the police.

Rosmah was answering a second suit filed by Global Royalty Trading against her on March 29, regarding the claim to retrieve the 43 pieces of jewellery.

She alleged the jewellery was taken by the police or Malaysian government in a raid, adding that if they are missing, the police and the government must be responsible for the losses of the Lebanese company that is the plaintiff in the suit.

“I stress here that the statement that the said jewellery was taken by the police and Malaysian government has its merits, as an item of the missing jewellery was found with them,” said Rosmah on Tuesday.

She said that all the jewellery involved was kept in the same place and was seized and taken by them.

“It is common knowledge that all valuable property which belongs to me and my family was seized, as such, it is not possible that I will keep the jewellery worth millions at a time when I was not allowed to travel overseas,” she added.

Rosmah, 72, also denied that she had asked for the jewellery, as alleged by Global Royalty.

She said the jewellery was given to her for the benefit and profit of the company to attract publicity and credibility among its customers.

On June 26, 2018, Global Royalty sued Rosmah as the defendant and demanded payment of US$14.79 million (S$20 million) for 44 pieces of jewellery sent to her for her to choose from.

According to the statement of claim, the plaintiff alleged that only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was in police custody.

On Aug 28, 2019, the Malaysian government, through its affidavit by Police Superintendent G/15177 Foo Wei Min (which was filed in the civil case), said one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was with the police.

The plaintiff then withdrew the suit to be filed again and intervene in the proceedings of the Malaysian government against OBYU Holdings, the owner of the jewellery seized by the police under the Anti Money Laundering Act.

On March 11, 2020, Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussein allowed the application by the plaintiff to inspect the jewellery which was seized by the police.

Global Realty then filed a new suit to retrieve the 43 pieces of jewellery from Najib’s wife.

According to the writ which was filed at the High Court on March 29, the jewellery store had taken steps through its lawyers, Mrs David Gurupatham and Koay, naming Rosmah as the sole defendant. - THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

malaysiaCOURT & CRIMEJEWELLERY/GEMSTONES