A LEBANESE jeweller who sued Rosmah Mansor for allegedly failing to pay for jewellery worth US$14.79 million (RM61 million) will apply to intervene in the government’s forfeiture suit of the valuables seized from her home.

Lawyer David Gurupatham, who is acting for Samer Halimeh, told The Malaysian Insight the application will be made during the case management of the suit on May 24.

Samer sued Rosmah for allegedly failing to pay for 44 pieces of jewellery, which she claimed are now in the possession of the police who seized the valuables after raiding premises linked to her and her husband, Najib Razak.

“We have written to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to ask for details of the suit,” David told The Malaysian Insight.

“Once we have details of the suit, we will intervene to verify whether the 44 pieces are there.

“If indeed any part of the 44 pieces is there, we will apply to intervene to recover them as our client is the legal owner of those pieces that were seized.”

On pieces that are not seized or are not on the list, David said his client will continue with the civil action to recover the jewellery, or its equivalent cash value, from Rosmah.

Samer, whose celebrity clients include Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey, runs the Beirut-based Global Royalty Trading SAL, under which the suit was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 26 last year.

Police seized more than 12,000 pieces of jewellery as part of their investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal weeks after May 9 elections last year, when Pakatan Harapan swept into power.

Police also seized hundreds of handbags of assorted brands, cash in various currencies, watches and 27 vehicles from Najib, Rosmah, their three children and 13 individuals and companies.

The cumulative value of the items seized was estimated by police to be at between RM900 million and RM1.1 billion, making it the biggest seizure in the nation’s history.

The seizure was made under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, which allows police to hold seized items for one year.

Police have said if there is no prosecution or conviction in the 12-month period from the date of seizure, the public prosecutor can apply to the high court for a forfeiture of the items.

The government and police filed a forfeiture suit against Najib and the 17 others to seize hundreds of items, including 27 Nissan vehicles.

The government is also seeking to seize RM18 million from accounts belonging to 10 individuals as well as a bungalow belonging to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court set May 30 for the next case management of the forfeiture suit.

The respondents of the suit, numbered 1 to 18, are Senijauhar Sdn Bhd; Najib; Kee Kok Thiam; Rosmah; Tan Vern Tact; Ng Chong Hwa (also known as Roger Ng); Yayasan Mustika Kasih; Yayasan Semesta; Goh Gaik Ewe; Yayasan Rakyat 1 Malaysia; Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz; Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd; Geh Choh Hun; Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib; Lim Hwee Bin; Mohd Kyizzad Mesran; Aiman Ruslan; and Nor Ashman Razak Mohd Najib.

The suit also named former Goldman Sachs banker Ng, who was extradited to the US where he will face trial for allegedly conspiring to launder money and bribe foreign government officials in relation to illicit activities linked to 1MDB.

Najib, meanwhile, responded to the forfeiture suit as Putrajaya’s attempt to “save face”.

Najib said in a Facebook post that since seizing the items a year ago, no charges have been brought against him in connection with the valuables.

“Because there is no charge, by law, the police are required to return the items before one year expires since the items were seized.

“If the items are returned, it will show that I’m not corrupt and did not buy those items using funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd or from other sources of illegal funding.

“That is why they are now seeking to forfeit the items in a civil suit so as to avoid returning them,” Najib said. – May 21, 2019.