Ruling on Rosmah's bid to stay RM67.5mil payment set for Aug 12

KUALA LUMPUR – The High Court here has fixed Aug 12 to deliver its decision on Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's application to defer payment of RM67.5 million to Lebanese jewellery firm Global Royalty Trading SAL.

Judicial Commissioner Marianne Antoinette Ghani set the date after hearing submissions from both parties.

At today's proceedings, Rosmah was represented by lawyer Reza Rahim while the jewellery company was represented by lawyer Venothani Raja Gopal.

On June 10, Rosmah was ordered to pay RM67.5 million to Global Royalty Trading SAL over the loss of 43 pieces of jewellery allegedly loaned to the wife of the former prime minister.

Judge Datuk Quay Chew Soon made the ruling after allowing the suit filed by the company as plaintiff against Rosmah, 75, as defendant.

The court also ordered the damages to be paid within one month from the date of judgment, along with costs of RM150,000 — RM75,000 to the plaintiff and RM75,000 to the third party.

In his judgment, the judge said the court found a prima facie case that Rosmah had failed to return the jewellery, which was evidence of negligence, and that she had failed to prove her claim that all 43 items had been seized.

The judge also dismissed Rosmah's claim against the third parties — the Inspector-General of Police and the government — over her assertion that the missing jewellery had been seized during police raids linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal investigation in 2018.

According to Chew Soon, Rosmah maintained that the jewellery was handed to her for viewing and that the arrangement was a consignment. She also insisted she was under no obligation to purchase the items, that they were not hers, and that they had been seized by the authorities.

The judge said the authenticity of the consignment note had never been disputed in earlier proceedings; instead, Rosmah herself had relied on and referred to it as part of her pleaded case and her evidence.

Global Royalty filed a US$14.57 million suit against Rosmah over the loss of more than 40 pieces of jewellery.

On the first day of trial on April 13, the court heard testimony from Global Royalty founder Samer Hassim Halimeh as the plaintiff's witness, followed by Rosmah as defendant.

Rosmah, in her testimony, denied neglecting or refusing to return the items, saying she had taken precautions in safekeeping the jewellery with the intention of returning it in its original condition when asked.