The Sessions Court dismissed today former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng’s application for bail pending his extradition to the US to stand trial for three criminal charges related to 1MDB.
Ng’s defence team led by Datuk Tan Hock Chuan submitted the application last week for Ng to be released in order to prepare his defence against the extradition proceedings.
Tan argued that this was being hampered as the lawyers were only allowed to confer with their client for an hour each week at the Sungai Buloh prison.
The lawyer also argued that his client was unwell and in deteriorating health.
Sessions Court judge MM Edwin Paramjothy, who read the decision, cited, among other reasons, that Ng poses a serious flight risk and that the interest of justice would be best served if the respondent remains in custody pending the outcome of the extradition process.
He also said that the respondent had not provided sufficient details on his health condition.
Tan explained that he could not furnish Ng’s medical report as he failed to obtain the report from the Prison Department, despite having submitted a written request.
Deputy public prosecutor Mahadhir Mohd Khairuddin led the opposing team.
Tan requested to meet his client for two two-hour sessions per week but Paramjothy said that such matter is not within the court’s jurisdiction.
The deputy public prosecutor was Mahadhir Khairuddin.