KUALA LUMPUR – A Lebanese jeweller’s bid to enter summary judgment against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was dismissed by the high court, here, this morning.
The decision was in relation to Global Royalty Trading SAL’s suit against Rosmah involving 43 pieces of jewellery valued at US$14.47 million (RM67.58 million).
Rosmah’s lawyers Reza Rahim and Rajivan Nambiar told FMT that judge Ong Chee Kwan held that a summary judgment was not proper as there were issues that needed to be tried in the hearing.
Additionally, the duo said Ong also allowed Rosmah’s application, ordering Global Royalty to pay a sum of RM75,000 as security for costs in the action.
Ong also fixed the suit for case management on December 14.
Meanwhile, Global Royalty’s counsel Datuk David Gurupatham confirmed the court’s ruling.
In April, Global Royalty refiled the civil action against Rosmah over the allegation that the jewellery was sent to the defendant for viewing purposes.
The jeweller had initially filed a suit for 44 pieces of jewellery worth US$14.79 million but withdrew it later, having secured the return of one of the items.
As such the current civil action involves only 43 jewellery pieces.
In its suit, Global Royalty claimed that on February 10, 2018, it sent 43 pieces of jewellery including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras, each worth US$124,000 to US$925,000, to the defendant through hand-carry courier via its two agents.
It also claimed that Rosmah, in a letter dated May 22, 2018, also confirmed and acknowledged receiving the jewellery but said all the jewellery were no longer in her possession, and that they had been confiscated and were being kept by the Malaysian authorities.
Back in mid-2018 following the 14th general election, police raided the Pavilion condominium in Kuala Lumpur where Rosmah and her husband Datuk Seri Najib Razak were residing, and took away several items, which included a jewellery piece from the Lebanese firm. – November 28, 2023