1MDB ordered to pay RM225,000 in costs to Riza Aziz

1MDB ordered to pay RM225,000 in costs to Riza Aziz

The state investment arm decided to discontinue its suits against Riza Aziz and two companies linked to him last month.

1MDB had in 2021 sued Riza Aziz for alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to US$248 million.
KUALA LUMPUR:
The High Court has ordered 1MDB to pay former prime minister Najib Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz RM225,000 in legal costs.

Judge Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan made the ruling today after 1MDB announced its intention to withdraw the suits brought against Riza and two companies linked to him last month.

Mohzanuddin arrived at the sum after taking into account the number of trial days, nine in total, 8,000 pages of documents filed in court, the number of case management sessions and various interlocutory applications, among others.

“There is no doubt that those are not easy tasks for the parties involved. Therefore, costs are fixed at RM225,000 and without the liberty to file afresh,” he said in his ruling.

On Feb 24, The company’s counsel Rabindra S Nathan informed the High Court it had decided to withdraw the suits against the defendants.

No reasons were provided for the withdrawal.

1MDB had sought declarations that Riza and the two Red Granite companies he controlled, which produced the hit Hollywood film “The Wolf of Wall Street”, are liable to account for the funds misappropriated from 1MDB.

They also sought repayment of all misappropriated funds amounting to US$248 million.

Riza, who was represented by Shafee Abdullah, initially sought RM900,000 in costs.

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