Hearing of prosecution's reply to challenge forfeiture of RM31m in valuables, assets from Najib, Rosmah, 15 others pushed to July 23

KUALA LUMPUR (June 18): The hearing of the prosecution's reply to a challenge against forfeiture proceedings concerning over RM31 million in assets and valuables linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) has now been deferred to July 23, after the present Movement Control Order (MCO 3.0) was extended until June 28.

Deputy public prosecutor Fatin Hadni Khairuddin confirmed with theedgemarkets.com the adjournment of today's hearing before High Court Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, as well as the new hearing date.

The forfeiture proceedings were initiated against 17 people, including former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the couple's children, Nooryana Najwa Najib and Nor Ashman Najib, and Rosmah's other son Riza Shahriz Aziz.

Meanwhile, the challenge to the proceedings was filed by some of the people named in the proceedings, namely Low Taek Jho's mother Puan Sri Goh Gaik Ewe and former Goldman Sachs' banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa and his wife Lim Hwee Bin among others.

On May 7, Rosmah's lawyer Iskandar Shah Ibrahim had argued that the prosecution had failed to show the money trail connecting 1MDB with the 263 handbags that were seized from Rosmah's residence after Najib and Barisan Nasional lost the 14th general elections.

Out of the 263 handbags, 53 are said to be owned by Rosmah, while Nooryana is claiming that the remainder were gifts from her wedding.

Meanwhile, Riza's counsel Azmuddin Abdul Aziz said his client wants to claim back six Rolex watches as prior to being a Hollywood producer, he had worked with HSBC in the United Kingdom.

The prosecution is also seeking to seize Goh's Tanjung Bungah bungalow in Penang, where her lawyer M Puravalen had said the 30-year-old property was not related to 1MDB.

Besides them, the government had also named Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Terence Geh Choh Hun as respondents in the forfeiture suit.

The government is seeking to recover 263 pieces of branded handbags, 40 pieces of branded watches, 27 pairs of branded shoes, cash in various denominations including some RM725,000, 26 Nissan Urvan vehicles, and a Nissan X-Trail all said to be worth in excess of RM31 million.

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