Rosmah fails to include govt, police in suit
The High Court yesterday dismissed an application by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to include the government and police as third parties in a suit against her by the Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL, involving more than 40 missing pieces of jewellery.
Her counsel Reza Rahim said Judge Ong Chee Kwan denied her application on the grounds that police and the government had not committed any wrongful act and had no duty of indemnity towards Rosmah.
“However, she is free to file a fresh civil suit for any losses she may have suffered as a result of the actions of police and the government, separately.”
Reza said he has been instructed to file an appeal in the Court of Appeal against the decision by the High Court.
The court scheduled Aug 2 for case management and set June 2 to 6 as trial dates for the main suit.
On March 29, 2023, Global Royalty filed a suit against Rosmah claiming she had lied that 44 pieces of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, bracelets and tiaras, sent to her by an agent of the company were seized by the Malaysian authorities under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The company claimed only one of the jewellery pieces was retained by police and the remaining 43 pieces were not in their custody.
Global Royalty insisted Rosmah had shifted the responsibility to the government, when in fact the jewellery had gone missing.
The company initially sued Rosmah on June 26, 2018, demanding she either return the 44 pieces of jewellery or pay its full value, but it was withdrawn in 2019.