1MDB-linked forfeiture suit hearing postponed to August 30

Last updated on July 27th, 2021 at 01:01 am

The 1MDB-linked forfeiture suit hearing against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 17 others has been pushed to August 30 due to a new development in the case.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin asked the High Court for an adjournment as the prosecution needed some more time after they received letters linked to the ongoing case so they could examine it in which Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan has allowed, and consequently fixed the hearing to August 30.

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She told the court that as the letters are associated with the forfeiture suits, they need more time to hold discussions while also taking into consideration the movement control order.

Other parties in the case did not object to the adjournment.

According to Faten Hadni, the letters came from one of the counsels in the case, but the prosecution cannot provide any more details on the contents of the letters and as to when they have obtained it.

She only said that it is inter-related to other forfeiture suits and thus, it affects the seized items in the case.

The Attorney General’s Chambers filed a forfeiture notice on May 8, 2019 involving handbags of various brands and 27 vehicles seized from Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and their three children, along with other 13 individuals and companies allegedly linked to 1MDB.

RM18 million worth of money being held in various accounts in Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd, Al-Rajhi Bank Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd, RHB Bank Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, AmBank Bhd and Hong Leong Bank Bhd were frozen between August 16, 2018 and March 11, 2019.

The prosecution named Najib, Rosmah and children, Nor Ashman Razak,  Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz (Najib’s stepson) and Nooryana Najwa, Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh Gaik Ewe, Roger Ng Chong Hwa (former Goldman Sachs bank officer) and his wife, Lim Hwee Bin, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun in the forfeiture notice as the first to 18th respondents.

The application was filed on the grounds that the prosecution, acting under Section 56 (1) read together with Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code, was satisfied that the items seized between May 17, 2018, and March 11, 2019, were related to an offence under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 or as the result of illegal activities involving the respondents.