KUALA LUMPUR – The high court has fixed June 3 to hear the prosecution’s stay application after the high court here decided to return millions of ringgit in seized goods belonging to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his family in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd investigation.
It will be heard before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, reported The Edge.
Representing the prosecution today was deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin, who said the application was filed last November, pending the appeal before the appellate court on March 11.
If the high court decides to allow the stay application, it will affect not just Najib but his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, son Nor Ashman Razak Najib, stepson Riza Shahriz Aziz, former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng and his wife Lim Hwee Bin, Low Taek Jho’s mother Puan Sri Goh Gaik Ewe, Aiman Ruslan and management consultancy services company Senijauhar Sdn Bhd.
On November 8, the high court here dismissed the government’s application to forfeit luxury items seized from Najib and others.
The items – including handbags of various brands, 27 vehicles, and cash of various currencies seized from Najib, Rosmah, their three children, and five other respondents – were allegedly linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Judge Zaini, in dismissing the application by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to forfeit the items, said the AGC had failed to prove the nexus between the properties seized and the unlawful activities.
“The properties seized from Najib, Rosmah, their two children Nor Ashman and Nooryana Najwa, as well as Najib’s stepson Riza, were seized from premises occupied or previously occupied by them and they are, in any event, from the same family.
“No evidence has been proffered to show that the properties seized from the five respondents were bought using the monies in Najib’s bank account. The applicant (AGC) had in fact admitted that some of the properties seized were gifts,” said the judge.
The judge also rejected the application to forfeit a bungalow erected on two plots of land in Tg Bungah Park, Penang, as well as the money kept in three Hong Leong Bank accounts owned by Goh.
The government also failed to forfeit monies kept in seven bank accounts belonging to Ng and his wife Lim on a similar finding that the applicant did not provide evidence that the bank accounts were related to or used for the commission of the unlawful activities.
The court also denied the government’s request to forfeit 26 Nissan Urvan vehicles and a Nissan X-Trail owned by Senijauhar and Aiman.
On May 8, 2019, the AGC filed a notice of motion to forfeit hundreds of items allegedly linked to the 1MDB scandal, including handbags of various brands and 27 vehicles seized from Najib, Rosmah, their three children, as well as 13 individuals and companies.
Additionally, money amounting to more than RM18 million in several bank accounts at Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, Al-Rajhi Bank Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, AmBank Bhd, and Hong Leong Bank Bhd was frozen between August 16, 2018, and March 11, 2019.
In the forfeiture notice, the prosecution named Najib, Rosmah, their children Nor Ashman, Riza and Nooryana Najwa; Kyizzad; Senijauhar; Aiman; Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia; Yayasan Semesta; Yayasan Mustika Kasih; Rembulan Kembara; Goh, Ng and Lim; and Kee, Tan and Geh as the first to 18th respondents. – The Vibes, February 17, 2022
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