THE Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today fixed Monday to decide on the application by former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, or Ng Chong Hwa, to be released on bail in the case to extradite him to the United States to face three criminal charges related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Judge M.M. Edwin Paramjothy fixed the date after hearing the arguments of both parties regarding Ng’s application through his lawyer, Tan Hock Chuan.

Tan told the court that he had a limited time of just one hour a week to see his client in jail. Hence, he was appealing to the court to allow Ng, 47, to be released.

He said his client was ready to hand over his passport to the court, as well as report himself to a police station, besides allowing the installation of an electronic device to monitor his movements.

Tan also told the court that Ng suffered from leptospirosis, and was believed to have contracted dengue and bacterial infections while in detention.

A letter to seek treatment for his client has already been sent to the prison authorities, he added.

The lawyer also told the court that Ng’s detention period ended today.

On November 1 last year, Ng was detained and later remanded for 60 days pending the extradition request.

Deputy public prosecutor Nik Syahril Nik Ab Rahman objected to the application on the grounds that it was not officially submitted by the defence and only done verbally.

Nik Syahril said that if there was a formal application from the defence, the issue of obtaining medical treatment could have been officially addressed.

On December 19, the Sessions Court postponed the hearing of the government’s application to extradite Ng as he was absent from court following a “misunderstanding”.

On December 12, the government filed an application to extradite Ng to the United States to face three criminal charges related to 1MDB. The application was made by the Attorney-General’s Chambers on behalf of the US government, who wanted Ng sent back to America to face the Federal Court in the eastern district of New York.

The High Court on December 13 dismissed Ng’s application to be released on bail on the grounds that Ng could escape from the country and that the case involved public interest.

On December 19, Ng pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to four counts of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of 1MDB bonds totalling US$6.5 billion (RM26.8 billion) by leaving out material facts and making false statements. – Bernama, January 4, 2019.