The Malaysian Insight

THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed Najib Razak to inspect RM680 million in valuables seized from downtown Kuala Lumpur luxury apartments two years ago.

Justice Muhammad Jamil Hussin allowed an application by the former prime minister to inspect the valuables kept in Bank Negara Malaysia’s vault, but only once, and in the presence of his lawyer.

The items were seized by police from two Pavilion Residences units in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, belonging to Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd on May 17, 2018.

The RM680 million worth of items are allegedly linked to monies diverted from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The items include 11,991 pieces of jewellery, 401 wristwatches, 16 wristwatch accessories, 234 pairs of spectacles, 306 handbags, and millions in cash of various currencies.  

Putrajaya is seeking to forfeit the items from Obyu Holdings, in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.  

Najib, who is contesting ownership of some of the items, filed the application to inspect them because many items had been removed from their original wrappings, allegedly causing confusion in identifying them.

The High Court previously granted Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor permission to inspect the seized items in March.

Also contesting the ownership of some of the jewellery is Global Royalty Trading SAL, a Lebanese jeweller seeking the return of 44 pieces worth US$14.79 million, or almost RM60 million, which it said it had sent to Rosmah for viewing.

The firm said the items were seized by the authorities and that payment was never made.

At today’s proceedings, Global Royalty’s lawyer, David Gurupatham, said his client, Samer Halimeh, who owns the firm, can travel to Kuala Lumpur from the United Kingdom only at a later date to inspect the items, as Malaysia’s borders are closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Earlier, Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, had criticised the handling of the seized items, saying many bags had been defaced with marker pens for the purpose of labelling.

The lawyer told the court that the handbags, some of which are worth millions of ringgit, had been destroyed in the process.

Deputy public prosecutor Fatin Hadni Khairuddin objected, saying procedures were followed and that all the bags were safely kept at the central bank. – June 10, 2020.