[ad_1]
KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno requested a separate hearing on the prosecution’s request for forfeiture of RM114,164,393.44 and jewelry that was seized from a premises owned by Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd.
The money and jewelry were seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly being linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
However, Deputy Prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin objected because the request for the confiscation of the money and jewelry was submitted in a single notice.
Attorney Fazreen Hazrina Rahim, representing Najib and Umno, told the court that it would harm her clients if the court refused to hold a separate hearing for the confiscation of the money and jewelry, as the inspection of the jewelry was not yet possible at this time.
“This is because the third party’s representative, a Lebanese goldsmith from Global Royalty Trading SAL, is understood to be in the UK and there are travel restrictions to Malaysia due to Covid-19,” he said.
Later, Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin set November 25 to hear Najib and Umno’s request, saying the request was not detrimental to the prosecution.
“Najib and Umno’s claim about the money can be heard first without the need to wait for the other third party to inspect the jewelry.
“The court will only return property that was seized from a third party if the court is satisfied that the third party complies with the five elements set forth in Section 61 (4) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and the proceeds of the Law of Illegal Activities (Amlatfpuaa) of 2001 ”, said the judge during the handling of the case on Monday (September 14).
He also ordered both parties to submit their affidavits in response within 14 days from Monday.
The request for the confiscation of the money and jewelery was filed by the MACC against Obyu.
Najib, UMNO and Global Royalty are third parties in the application.
In the notice of the motion filed against Obyu Holdings, the items included 11,991 units of jewelry, 401 watches and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of glasses and 306 bags, as well as cash in various denominations worth CU114,164,393.44
In June last year, then-MACC Chief Commissioner Latheefa Koya said that MACC had filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit against 41 respondents to seize RM270mil allegedly linked to the 1MDB scandal and received by Najib respondents.
He said the action was taken under the 2001 Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act. – Bernama
[ad_2]
