KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today has fixed Oct 22 to hear Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s (pix) application to stay the trial of a lawsuit filed by a Lebanese jewellery firm seeking the return of 44 pieces of jewellery worth US$14.79 million (RM61.97 million) or almost RM60 million, which is claimed to have sent to the former prime minister’s wife for viewing purposes.
Lawyer Datuk David Gurupatham, representing the jewellery firm, Global Royalty Trading SAL said the application would be heard in the morning before Justice Wong Chee Lin.
“If the court rules not in favour to Rosmah, the trial to proceed in the afternoon and we are ready with three witnesses including Lebanese jeweller, Samir Halimeh to testify,“ he told reporters after the case management which was mentioned in chambers before Justice Wong.
The lawyer said the court fixed three days, beginning Oct 22 for trial.
However, Gurupatham said he objected to Rosmah’s stay application saying that their case was only to recover the 44 pieces of jewellery and his client would file an affidavit to object the stay.
Rosmah filed the stay pending the outcome of the government’s appeal at the Court of Appeal against the court’s decision to allow her to appoint an independent jewellery expert to identify and verify the number of jewellery pieces currently in the custody of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
In its suit, Global Royalty claimed that on Feb 10, 2018, it had sent 44 pieces of jewellery including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras, each worth between US$124,000 (RM519,183) and US$925,000 (RM3.8 million) to the defendant, hand-delivered via two of its agents.
The company said Rosmah had acknowledged receipt of the items and agreed to the terms and conditions contained in Memorandum No 926 pertaining to the jewellery.
The company claimed that Rosmah, via a letter dated May 22, 2018, also confirmed and acknowledged the receipt of the jewellery but stated that all the jewellery was no longer in her possession because it was seized and placed under the custody of the Malaysian authorities.
Global Royalty has applied for the court to declare it as the legal owner of all the jewellery items and that ownership had never been transferred to the defendant.
It is also seeking a mandatory order for Rosmah to provide a list of the jewellery seized, for these to be returned or for Rosmah to pay the price of the jewellery at US$14.79 million (RM59.83 million).
Lawyers N. Rajivan and Mohamed Reza Rahim represented Rosmah. — Bernama
