KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa’s (pic) case has been ordered by the High Court here to obtain appropriate instructions from the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) so that the trial will not be on hold for too long.
Justice Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin said this on Wednesday (Oct 19) after DPP Zaki Asyraf Zubir informed the court of Ng’s temporary extradition to the United States until Feb 28, 2024, to proceed with appeals in criminal cases brought against him there.
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"If this case is postponed (until) after February 2024 it will be too long. Maybe the prosecution can get proper instructions from the AG," the judge said, setting Jan 10 for case management for the prosecution to update the court.
Earlier, Zaki told the court that Ng’s criminal case in the United States had been concluded and the sentencing was earlier slated for Nov 9, but postponed to Dec 9.
Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, representing Ng, said the Malaysian and US governments had agreed on the temporary extradition of his client to the United States until Feb 28, 2024 and suggested that the court here fix the date for case management in January or February next year.
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"The reason is that the sentencing process has been set by the Eastern District Court of New York on Dec 9," he added.
On April 8, Ng was found guilty by the US court of corruption charges related to his role in helping loot hundreds of millions of dollars from Malaysia’s 1MDB development fund.
On Dec 19, 2018, Ng pleaded not guilty to four charges of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$6.5bil by dropping material facts and making false statements.
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He was charged with committing the offences at the 1MDB office on the 8th Floor of Menara IMC, No 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail here between March 19, 2012 and Nov 11, 2013.
On Sept 4 last year, the charges against Goldman Sach International Ltd and its two entities in Asia, namely Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore). were dropped after High Court judge Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the prosecution’s application to withdraw the charges over the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$$6.5bil. – Bernama
