THE trial for the suit filed by Lebanese jeweller Salmeh Halimeh against Rosmah Mansor for non-payment of jewellery worth US$14.79 million (RM60.2 million) has been adjourned to May.

This is to allow police to complete their investigation into some 12,000 items confiscated in raids on premises linked to former prime minister Najib Razak last year.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judicial commissioner Wong Chee Lin vacated the trial dates on March 4 and 5, and fixed May 24 for case management to set new dates, after a meeting in chambers with lawyers representing police, Salmeh and Rosmah today.

A stay application by Rosmah was dismissed.

Wong made the decision after being informed by senior federal counsel S. Narkunavathy that police said they will wrap up their probe by May.

Police seized more than 12,000 pieces of jewellery as part of their investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

The seizure was made under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which allows police to hold seized items for one year.

Special Investigation Division head of federal police’s Anti-Money Laundering Team, Foo Wei Min, who was in the public gallery, did not testify today. He also did not address the press.

In an affidavit last year, Foo 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 said items.

Salmeh, whose celebrity clients include Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey, runs the Beirut-based Global Royalty Trading SAL, under which the suit was filed.

The suit, seeking compensation for 44 pieces of jewellery, was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 26 last year.

Narkunavathy told Wong that the court order could not be met as the process to obtain access to the jewellery, which is kept in a Bank Negara Malaysia vault, would take time.

“(The senior federal counsel’s) position is that everything is pending investigation,” Rosmah’s lawyer, Rajivan Nambiar, told reporters outside the court.

“They are also not in the position as yet to make any confirmation with regard to the 44 items because they have until May to conclude their investigation. They were supportive of the fact that this proceeding should be stayed.

“In fact, that is what we’ve been saying all this while – that we should wait until May. Once May comes, all parties, including the plaintiff, would be in a better position to assess the entire case.”

While the 44 items are in police custody, he said, Rosmah is still at liberty to file an application to strike out the entire claim, as the court does not have jurisdiction.

“If the jewellery is not there, we would then have to reassess the position, and perhaps, proceed with the trial at that stage.”

Salmeh’s lawyer, David Gurupatham, told reporters: “The plaintiff is happy that we will proceed with a trial.”

Dubai-based jeweller Adi Hasan AlFardan is also seeking to recover jewellery worth more than US$5 million that was allegedly delivered to Rosmah without any payment made.

He has yet to file a suit. – February 26, 2019.