High Court rejects Rosmah's bid to inspect RM62.7m in jewellery without Lebanese firm

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 26): The High Court today has rejected Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's (pictured) application to inspect 44 pieces of jewellery worth US$14.79 million (RM62.7 million) independently without the presence of representatives from Global Royalty Trading SAL, which is also contesting the forfeiture of the items by the government.

Justice Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin reiterated today that the court had previously ordered that the seized possessions to be inspected together with the Lebanese jeweller.

The 44 pieces of jewellery were among the items that were taken by the police at two residential units in Pavilion Residences, Bukit Bintang, in May 2018. The residences were owned by OBYU Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Faten Hadni Khairuddin told the court today that Global Royalty was still not able to come into the country to view those items due to the country's borders being closed to foreigners because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In total, the prosecution had seized close to 12,000 jewellery items and other valuables from the premises owned by OBYU. The company, owned by Tan Sri Bustari Yusof, who is a close confidante of Rosmah's husband and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had relinquished claims on those items.

Najib, Rosmah, and Global Royalty are disputing the forfeiture as third parties.

It was reported in 2018 that Global Royalty filed a suit against Rosmah after purportedly sending 44 jewellery items said to be worth US$14.79 million to the latter in February 2018 for her consideration, should she want to purchase them — before the items were seized. The suit has since been withdrawn.

Last month, it was reported that Najib and Rosmah had already inspected non-jewellery items from the seized possessions including 306 handbags, 401 watches, 16 watch accessories and 234 eyeglasses.

The prosecution had previously filed forfeiture proceedings against OBYU for all of the items, including cash, said to be worth RM680 million.

Meanwhile, counsels representing Najib and Umno had today applied for proceedings of the seized RM114.16 million in cash purportedly owned by the party that was placed in the properties, to be heard separately. Umno is claiming an unspecified amount of cash.

Justice Muhammad Jamil had fixed Sept 14 for case management of this application.

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