Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has denied purchasing any of the 44 pieces of jewellery allegedly sent to her for viewing by a Lebanese wholesale jewellery firm totalling USD14.79 million or almost RM60 million.
Rosmah said this in her statement of defence filed through Messrs Geethan Ram at the High Court today in a suit filed by a Lebanese wholesale jewellery firm, Global Royalty Trading SAL based in Beirut.
The legal firm in the press release said: “Our client did not purchase any of the jewellery which is the subject-matter of the said suit. Hence, the legal titles in respect of the jewellery were never passed to our client”.
The firm said the jewellery in question was delivered for Rosmah’s viewing by virtue of the fact that she was the wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia on the plaintiff’s own accord and volition and without there being any obligation for Rosmah to purchase the jewellery.
“The said suit filed by Global Royalty contravenes the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
“Accordingly, the suit filed by Global Royalty against our client is clearly unlawful, frivolous, vexatious and/or an abuse of the court process. In the circumstances, the position taken by Global Royalty that our client is liable to indemnify them monies in the sum of RM59,831,317.40 is misconceived and without any legal basis,” the lawyers said in a statement, adding that premised on the above, Rosmah shall in due course, make an application to the court to strike out the suit.
Today is the last day for Rosmah to file her defence.
The legal counsel representing Rosmah are Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent, Datuk K Kumaraendran, Rajivan Nambiar, Reza Rahim, Lavania Raja and Revin Kumar.
The case management has been fixed to be on Friday.
It was previously reported that Global Royalty called Rosmah a regular patron to whom it would send consignments of jewellery for her perusal.
Those she did not wish to purchase would be returned to the jeweller although it said she would also occasionally borrow some before sending these back.
It additionally claimed that she acknowledged the receipt of the 44 items sent in February that included a diamond necklace, earrings, rings, bracelets and a tiara, each worth between US$124,000 and US$925,000, sent to her personally by two of the firm’s agents.
Earlier reports:
Jul 19, Rosmah May Have to Pay RM60M
Jul 14, Rosmah’s Undeclared Jewellery may be Confiscated
Jul 10, Lebanese Firm Sues Rosmah over Alleged RM60M Consignment of Jewellery