Najib, Rosmah to inspect seized bling with Lebanese jeweller

Former prime minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and the owner of Lebanese jewellery firm Global Royalty Trading SAL, Samer Halimeh, are scheduled to inspect 11,991 pieces of jewellery being kept in more than 90 boxes at Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) next month.

The jewellery was among the valuables seized by the police from premises belonging to Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd at Pavilion Residences in May 2018.

Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin, when contacted, said the parties had agreed to carry out the inspection from Oct 25 to Nov 5.

“The inspection will be carried out according to BNM’s SOPs, as well as the National Security Council’s SOPs, due to the spread of Covid-19,” she told Bernama after case management before High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin today.

The inspection had been postponed several times due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Najib, Rosmah and Global Royalty are the third parties staking claim to the jewellery in the forfeiture application against Obyu Holdings, which is owned by Bustari Yusof.

On July 25 last year, Najib and Rosmah inspected a total of 306 handbags, 401 watches, 16 watch accessories and 234 spectacles which were also seized from the same premises.

In 2019, the prosecution filed a forfeiture application against Obyu Holdings to seize various items, including 11,991 items of jewellery, 401 watch straps and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of spectacles and 306 handbags as well as cash in various denominations amounting to RM114,164,393.44.

The money and jewellery were confiscated by the authorities for their alleged links to the 1MDB scandal.