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30 May 2019
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Last May 7, the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed a notice of forfeiture over hundreds of items including branded handbags and 27 vehicles seized from Najib, Rosmah Mansor, their three children and 13 individuals and companies.
The notice was filed at the Criminal High Court Registrar’s Office, here, and named the prosecution as the applicant with 18 individuals and companies as the respondents.
The respondents named are Najib, followed by Rosmah, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, Nor Ashman Razak Mohd Najib, Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib, Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh Gaik Ewe, Ng Chong Hwa, Lim Hwee Bin, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun as second 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) or as the result of illegal activities involving the respondents.
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 ― The High Court here today allowed the prosecution to publish a notice in the Gazette calling upon any third party with interest on the hundreds of bags of various brands and other property, including cash in various currencies, watches and 27 cars that were seized from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, their three children and 13 other individuals and companies.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan made the decision after allowing the prosecution’s application, made under Section 56 and 61(2) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
“The court gives three months for the prosecution, as the applicant, to implement the process (of publishing the notice in the Gazette).
“As such, the court sets this August 30 for case management,” he said during today’s case management.
Upon publication of the notice in the Gazette, any third party who claims to have any interest in the property will be required to attend before the court, or through their lawyer, on a specified date to show cause as to why the property shall not be forfeited.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Fatnin Yusof informed the court that the 16th to 18th respondents, namely Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun, had fled, hence making it impossible for the prosecution to hand over the cause papers to them.
“Therefore, the prosecution applied to publish the notice in the Gazette under Section 56 and 61(2) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001,” he added.
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9 May 2019
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Excerpts from:
1. Mohd Kyizzad Mesran
He was formerly an officer with the Prime Minister’s Department at the asset management section. Beyond this, nothing much is known about him.
2. Senijauhar Sdn Bhd
Senijauhar Sdn Bhd is a company with links to Johor Umno.
According to the Companies Commission of Malaysia, the directors are Johor Umno chief Hasni Mohamad, Kluang Umno chief Md Jais Sarday and Semarang assemblyperson Samsolbari Jamali.
When contacted, Hasni said the company was formed to manage Johor Umno’s assets, including 27 Nissan Urvan vehicles which were seized by the authorities last year.
The vans were used by the state Wanita Umno’s Skuad Sayang.
He said the company has yet to receive the forfeiture notice for the vans.
3. Aiman Ruslan
Details are scant except that she was a former officer with the Selangor Islamic Department (Jais).
The Edge, citing the forfeiture notice, said a Nissan X-Trail 4WD vehicle registered to her was seized on Aug 13, 2018.
It is unclear how she is linked to Najib.
4. Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia
Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia was a foundation Najib chaired, which listed its goals as helping underprivileged Malaysians through education and sports.
According to the forfeiture notice, RM6.87 million was seized from the foundation on Aug 16 last year.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia was used to receive millions in donations from the Genting Group in return for 1MDB buying the group’s power assets at inflated prices.
The report said this was an indirect means for 1MDB to channel funds for the general election.
5. Yayasan Semesta
According to the forfeiture notice, RM4,757.02 had been seized from Yayasan Semesta’s bank account in Petaling Jaya on Jan 17 this year.
There is a Yayasan Semesta (Berdaftar) registered in Petaling Jaya that operates out of a local mosque. It is unclear how the foundation is linked to Najib.
6. Yayasan Mustika Kasih
The forfeiture notice stated that RM100,000 was seized from Yayasan Mustika Kasih on Jan 17 this year.
The foundation previously collaborated with the government and another foundation to help people perform the umrah (minor pilgrimage).
It is not clear how this foundation is linked to Najib.
7. Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd
The company was formerly known as Goldfin Group Sdn Bhd and is based in Penang.
As Goldfin Group, it was among several private companies that contributed to an International Children’s Wellbeing Fund launched by Rosmah in February 2013.
The fund was set up following her trip to Gaza.
This appears to be the only public link between the company and Najib.
The forfeiture notice revealed that RM35,510 had been seized from Rembulan Kembara’s bank account on March 11 this year.
8. Goh Gaik Ewe
Goh is fugitive businessperson Jho Low’s mother. The family’s bungalow in Penang was among the properties listed in the forfeiture notice. RM852,515 was also seized from her accounts.
9. Roger Ng Chong Hwa
Better known as Roger Ng, the former Goldman Sachs banker is an alleged accomplice to Low.
He has been extradited to the US to face money laundering charges.
RM1.45 million had been seized from his bank accounts on March 11 this year.
10. Lim Hwee Bin
Lim is Ng’s wife. According to Bloomberg, investigators were looking into a US$17.5 million transfer to her, shortly after the 1MDB bond sale in May 2012.
RM429,234 was seized from her accounts this year.
11. Kee Kok Thiam
According to The Edge, Kee had been assigned by SRC International’s CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil to place cash deposits into Najib’s AmBank accounts.
He had also been contacted by Low to help arrange VIP treatment for Nawaf Obaid, brother of Tarek Obaid of PetroSaudi International.
RM1.52 million was seized from his accounts on May 11 this year.
12. Tan Vern Tact
Tan was an executive director at Utama Banking Group Bhd (UBG) and non-executive director at Loh & Loh and Putrajaya Perdana. These companies are linked to Low.
RM6.44 million was seized from his accounts on May 11 this year.
13. Geh Choh Hun
Geh was a close confidant of Low. He chaired the 1Malaysia Welfare Club of Penang, which was active in organising dinners and distributing cash donations to several organisations, including NGOs and three local Chinese media groups, during the 2013 general election.
RM133,388 were seized from his accounts on March 11 this year.
14: Obyu Holding Sdn Bhd
Obyu Holdings is owned by Bustari Yusof, the brother of former works minister Fadillah Yusof. Bustari is a close confidante of Najib,
According to Bernama, the AG Chambers is seeking to forfeit from Obyu Holdings 11,900 pieces of jewellery, 401 watches, 16 watch accessories, 306 handbags, 234 eyeglasses, a property in Kuala Lumpur, and cash worth RM114.16 million in various currencies.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/475531
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Former premier Najib Abdul Razak’s three children are among the 18 individuals and companies slapped with a notice of forfeiture by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
The three children are his stepson Riza Aziz, Nor Ashman Razak and Nooryana Najwa.
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Najib was named as the first respondent, followed by Rosmah, Riza, Nor Ashman, Nooryana as the second, third, fourth and fifth respondents.
The others are Mohd Kyizzad Mesran, Senijauhar Sdn Bhd, Aiman Ruslan, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia, Yayasan Semesta, Yayasan Mustika Kasih, Rembulan Kembara Sdn Bhd, Goh Gaik Ewe (the mother of fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho), Roger Ng, Lim Hwee Bin, Kee Kok Thiam, Tan Vern Tact and Geh Choh Hun.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/475451
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8 May 2019
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has claimed that the items confiscated from his house on May 18 last year actually belonged to his daughter, and not him.
He said this is the case as his daughter’s mother-in-law was married to a man considered one of the richest in his home country of Kazakhstan for 10 years.
“My daughter’s mother-in-law and her child also live with us. Many things confiscated by the police belong to them, including presents my daughter and her husband received,” Najib said in a Facebook post.
Although he did not mention his daughter’s name, Najib is referring to Nooryana Najwa and her husband Daniyar Kessikbayev, who tied the knot in March 2015.
Kessikbayev is the nephew of former Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who recently stepped down from office in March after nearly 30 years in power.
Najib claimed that Kessikbayev’s mother, noted Kazakh socialite Maira Nazarbayeva, had spent up to US$75 million (RM311 million) of her ex-husband’s money to buy jewellry from just one jeweller during their marriage.
He attached a news article to his Facebook post which said that in 2013 Nazarbayeva’s ex-husband, oligarch Bolat Nazarbayev, accused her of purchasing the jewellery from Jacob and Co.
The report also said Nazarbayev was pursuing a lawsuit against her and her son from another marriage on grounds they duped him out of a 4,000 sq ft apartment in New York worth US$20 million (RM83 million).
Najib said the items confiscated can only be held for three months, according to law, but could be extended once for an additional nine months by the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“The confiscation date will expire in 10 more days, after which the items must be legally returned if the authorities fail to prove they were purchased using illegitimate funds and have filed no charges on the ownership of said items.
“Until today there have been no charges laid. However, Pakatan Harapan has used the seizure of the assets as a very cruel propaganda tool to humiliate me by accusing me of obtaining money and the items from illegitimate activities or 1MDB,” he said.
Najib dismissed the claim that the seized items amounted to RM1 billion.
“Having served as an MP for 43 years, then a minister, former deputy prime minister and then prime minister, I had the chance to meet and get to know many friends and royals both within and outside the country.
“In that time my family and I have been given all sorts of gifts at their events, including weddings, anniversaries and birthdays,” he said.
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KUALA LUMPUR — Putrajaya and the Royal Malaysia Police have initiated legal action to forfeit property, jewellery, luxury goods, vehicles and other valuables seized during raids on Datuk Seri Najib Razak last year over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal.
According to The Edge Markets, two notices of the civil forfeiture action were submitted to the High Court yesterday informing it of the intent to take ownership of the items Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, are suspected of obtaining using stolen 1MDB funds.
The news outlet said it learned that the first notice was for an unnamed property in the Klang Valley and goods such as jewellery, designer handbags, watches, and sunglasses valued at RM680 million.
Another motion was for the intended forfeiture of 27 luxury vehicles, watches, bags and money contained in 29 bank accounts, all of which amounted to RM31 million in appraised value.
The police’s Commercial Crimes Investigation Department conducted high-profile and repeated raids on locations linked to Najib last year and filled several Black Marias with items seized under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA) 2001.
Police had raided luxury condominiums at the Pavilion Residences and Najib’s personal mansion in Langgak Duta, both here.
The law mandates that such confiscations expire after 12 months from when the items were first taken, which would come into effect in this case on May 16.
Najib’s main trial over the 1MDB scandal has yet to start as he is currently facing charges over funds allegedly misappropriated from SRC International, a former unit of the state investment firm.
In a press conference last year following the appraisal of the seized items, then Bukit Aman CCID director Commissioner Datuk Seri Amar Singh said the total haul was valued at RM1.1 billion.
He further said the appraised cost of 12,000 pieces of jewellery alone to be RM440 million, with their market price estimated at between RM660 million and RM880 million.
MALAY MAIL
https://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/?p=164124
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Putrajaya and the police have filed two civil forfeiture suits against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and several others to seize a total of RM711 million worth of luxury items, including 27 luxury cars and a property from these individuals.
The Edge reported that two notices of motion and supporting affidavits were filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to seize the items, purportedly bought with money from state investment fund 1MDB.
Quoting sources, it said that the action was a follow-up to the seizure of the valuables last year at Najib-linked properties in several areas, including Bukit Bintang.
The first notice of motion filed yesterday is to seize a property in the Klang Valley, cash (in various foreign currencies), jewellery, handbags, watches and sunglasses worth RM680 million.
The second notice of motion is to seize RM31 million worth of items, including 27 luxury cars, cash (in various foreign currencies), 29 bank accounts, watches and bags.
It is learnt that one Supt Foo Wei Min, who headed the police’s Anti-Money Laundering Unit in the operations and investigations, affirmed an affidavit in support of the forfeiture action.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/475285
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weehingthong 