Rosmah's bid to include govt, police in missing jewellery suit fails

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today dismissed Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's application to include the government and the police as third parties in Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL's suit against her over more than 40 missing pieces of jewellery.

Rosmah's counsel, Reza Rahim, stated that Judge Ong Chee Kwan denied her application, on the grounds that the police and the government had not committed any wrongful act and had no duty of indemnity towards Rosmah.

"However, Datin Seri Rosmah is free to file a fresh civil suit for any losses that she may have suffered as a result of the actions of the police and Government of Malaysia, separately," the counsel said when contacted today.

The counsel said he has been instructed to file an appeal in the Court of Appeal against today's decision.

Reza said the court also scheduled Aug 2 for further case management and set June 2 to June 6, 2024, as trial dates for the main suit.

On March 29, 2023, Global Royalty filed a suit against Rosmah claiming she had lied that 44 pieces of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, bracelets, and tiaras, sent to her by the company's agent were seized by the Malaysian authorities under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The Beirut-based company claimed that only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was retained by the police and the remaining 43 pieces were not in their custody.

Global Royalty further asserted that Rosmah had shifted the responsibility to the Malaysian government, when in fact the jewellery had gone missing.

The company initially sued Rosmah on June 26, 2018, demanding that she either return the 44 pieces of jewellery sent to her for selection or pay their full value of USD 14.79 million.

However, this lawsuit was withdrawn in 2019.

-- BERNAMA