KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and their three children are objecting to claims made by third parties over property seized from them last year.
Najib’s lawyer Syahirah Hanafiah said the matter was raised during a case management before deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas here yesterday.
“We objected to the third-party claims (of the items) because for the first respondent (Najib), the items seized were his property.
“So, we are objecting to it because the items belong to our client,” she said.
Syahirah said they would be filing the notice with a certificate of urgency by July 18.
She also said the respondent would file a notice to request a detailed list of all the items seized.
“For the respondents to reply to the claimant’s (the government) affidavit, they would need the details of the items that the authorities seized. Without the details, how can they file their claims?
“The claimant then told the court that since the seized items had already been filed with the court, the respondents would have to file a notice of motion to request the list.“The court and all parties involved have agreed to this. Thus, we will have to file the notice with a supporting affidavit in two weeks,” she said.
On May 8, the Attorney General’s Chambers filed two notices of motion which sought to forfeit some RM133mil in cash, jewellery and other luxury items seized from Najib, Rosmah and 17 others, which are believed to have been purchased using money from 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
The notice named Najib, Rosmah, their children Nor Ashman Razak, 29, Nooryana Najwa, 31, and Rosmah’s film producer son Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, 43, as respondents.The notice also named eight other individuals, four companies and three foundations.
The items listed are luxury goods (263 handbags, 14 watches and 27 pairs of shoes), 27 vehicles, RM19,064,205.58, multiple foreign currencies and a property in Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
On May 30, the High Court allowed the prosecution to publish a notice in the gazette calling upon any third party with interest in the seized assets.
Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan made the decision after allowing the prosecution’s application under Section 56 and 61(2) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The case is fixed for mention before Justice Zaini on Aug 30.
