A SENIOR police officer told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that 12,009 items of jewellery seized from a luxury residential unit linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) investigation eight years ago were estimated to be worth RM443.3 million following expert assessment.
Assistant Commissioner Foo Wei Min, who was serving at the Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Division under the Inspector-General of Police Secretariat in Bukit Aman at the time, said the valuation was conducted after inspections by jewellery experts and police between 30 May and 25 June 2018.
He was the fifth third-party witness in a civil forfeiture-related trial brought by a Lebanon-based jewellery company.
Foo testified that police subsequently issued seizure orders covering all the jewellery items, which had been recovered during raids on properties linked to the investigation.
He told the court that the wife of a former prime minister Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was later called to the Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Division to assist in the probe involving the seized assets.
“Datin Seri Rosmah stated that she did not know and did not instruct anyone to move the items from her residence in Langgak Duta to Pavilion Residences.
“She also never stated that the assets in question belonged to her and said she was unable to identify all the items, even when shown clear photographs.”
On 11 March 2020, the High Court allowed Lebanon-based jewellery company Global Royalty Trading SAL to inspect the seized items.
Following the inspection, only one of the 44 disputed jewellery pieces was identified as belonging to the company, he said.
Earlier testimony detailed that on 17 May 2018, a Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department team carried out a search at a penthouse unit at Pavilion Residences under a search warrant.
Police reportedly seized multiple categories of assets, including 35 bags containing cash in various currencies, six bags of assorted watches, 25 bags of jewellery, three bags of sunglasses, one bag of wallets of different brands, and 284 boxes of handbags.
The officer said prosecutors later filed forfeiture applications under Section 56 of Act 613 in relation to the seized assets.
He added that Rosmah was unable to identify all the seized movable assets even when shown clear photographs.
Foo further told the court that on 26 April 2022, the Attorney-General issued an order for the return of 9,554 jewellery items to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife, and the handover was carried out between 28 and 29 April 2022 through their legal representatives.
He said the items were returned to Datuk Akbar Abdul Gafoor of Messrs Azamuddin & Co.
Following a High Court decision on 14 November 2022 rejecting a forfeiture application in the case of Public Prosecutor v Obyu Holding Sdn Bhd, a further 2,431 jewellery items were returned to Rosmah’s representatives on 9 December 2022 at Bank Negara Malaysia.
The hearing before Justice Datuk Quay Chew Soon continues tomorrow. - April 14, 2026
