Foo Wei Min, the federal police head of the Special Investigation Division of the Anti-Money Laundering Team, said it was true that they had seized 12,000 items of jewellery in raids on premises linked to former prime minister Najib Razak in May.
“The police have yet to conclusively determine if the said 44 pieces of jewellery are in the custody of the police, and if they form part of the 12,000 items seized, as the task of doing so is a complex and protracted one,” he said in an affidavit.
The affidavit was filed yesterday in response to an Oct 11 High Court order to the government to confirm whether the 44 pieces of jewellery from Global Royalty Trading SAL had been seized by the police.
The seizures were made under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Foo said the police had until next May to determine whether the 44 items of jewellery came from Global Royalty.
“I am aware that Section 56 of the Act provides that where any property is seized and there is no prosecution or conviction for an offence of money laundering, the public prosecutor may, before the expiration of 12 months from the date of seizure, apply to a judge for an order of forfeiture of that property,” he said in the affidavit.
Case management was also held today before judicial commissioner Wong Chee Lin to update her on the dispute.
Lawyer David Gurupatham, representing Global Royalty, confirmed that the court had given the police more time to determine the status of the 44 items of jewellery.
He added that the court had fixed Feb 11 for the next case management.
Senior federal counsel Alice Loke Yee Ching is representing the police and government as intervener in the proceedings, while N Rajivan appeared for Rosmah, the sole defendant.
The government had sought to be part of Global Royalty’s suit against Rosmah on grounds that the jewellery belonged to the government and was bought with stolen money.
Global Royalty sued Rosmah on June 26, seeking the return of the jewellery which included rings, necklaces, earrings and pendants.
The most expensive piece of jewellery listed in the lawsuit was a 16.5-carat cushion-cut diamond ring which cost US$925,000.
The company also loaned Rosmah a diamond tiara worth US$575,000.
“The items were sent to the defendant (Rosmah) in a consignment agreement that she would return the jewellery that she did not choose.
“Those items that she wished to buy would be paid for through a third agent or herself,” it said.
The company said Rosmah would receive the jewellery herself or through her agents in Dubai, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
It also claimed that she had acknowledged receipt of the 44 pieces of jewellery on May 22.
Global Royalty is seeking a court declaration that it is the owner of all 44 pieces of jewellery. It also wants an order for Rosmah to return the items.
“Alternatively, if she cannot return all the jewellery, she is responsible for paying us the cost of the jewellery of US$14.8 million,” it said.
Rosmah’s lawyers however said she never bought any of the jewellery, adding that the items were delivered for her viewing “by virtue of the fact that she was the wife of the prime minister of Malaysia”.