High Court postpones Roger Ng's case pending sentencing for another case in US

KUALA LUMPUR: The case of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa case involving the sale of security notes and bonds valued at US$6.5 billion belonging to a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) at the High Court here has been postponed pending sentencing of his criminal case in the United States on Sept 13.

On April 8, Ng was found guilty by the US court of corruption charges related to his role in helping loot hundreds of millions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB development fund.

Deputy public prosecutor Zaki Asyraf Zubir had earlier told the court that the Ng's criminal case in the US had been concluded and the sentencing was slated for Sept 13.

"The US Department of Justice (DoJ) had applied for temporary extradition of Ng to New York until the end of August. I'm sure that they (DoJ) will apply for an extension of the temporary extradition as the sentencing is in September.

"As such, I hereby request a date of mention on Oct 18 or 19 to inform the court on the latest status of the accused in the US," he said during case management today.

Ng's lawyer Datuk Tan Hock Chuan confirmed the date of sentencing and also told the court that his client had also filed an appeal against the US court's decision.

"Therefore, I agree with the prosecution's application for the new date of mention," he said.

Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin then set Oct 19 for the prosecution and defence to inform the court of the accused's latest status.

On Dec 19, 2018, Ng pleaded not guilty to four charges of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$6.5 billion by dropping material facts and making false statements.

He was charged with the offences which took place at the 1MDB office on the 8th Floor of Menara IMC, No 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail here between March 19, 2012, and Nov 11, 2013.

On Sept 4 last year, the charges against Goldman Sach International Ltd and its two entities in Asia, namely Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore) were dropped after High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the prosecution's application to withdraw the charges over the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$$6.5 billion.

-- BERNAMA