Umno suit to claim RM116.7m thrown out

KUALA LUMPUR (March 22): The suit filed by Umno to reclaim RM116.7 million in various currencies seized by the police from properties linked to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last May has been thrown out by the High Court.

High Court judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad made the ruling in her chambers yesterday afternoon after allowing the application by the government and four others to strike out Umno’s suit.

Umno was also ordered to pay cost of RM7,000 to the government.

Senior federal counsel S Narkunavathy, who appeared on behalf of the government and four others, told reporters that the judge agreed that the suit filed by Umno was baseless and an abuse of court process.

“They (Umno) also have not shown their right to make the claim. Basically, the judge agreed with all the grounds that we had raised,” she said.

The then-Umno organising secretary Datuk Seri Abd Rauf Yusoh filed the suit on Sept 20, 2018.

The party claimed that the raids conducted at the properties on May 17, 2018 were unlawful, an abuse of power, was made without reasonable cause, intentionally caused losses to the party and tarnished its image.

Abd Rauf was seeking the return of RM116.7 million, as well as damages.

The government of Malaysia, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Fuzi Harun, former Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Amar Singh, Datuk Mohd Sakri Arifin and ACP R Rajagopal Ramadhasas were named as the defendants in this suit.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 22, 2019.

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