KUALA LUMPUR (ANN/THE STAR) – Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was unsuccessful in her effort to hold the police and government accountable as third parties in a USD14.57 million lawsuit over missing jewellery, as determined by the Malaysian High Court.
Justice Ong Chee Kwan concluded that the police and government do not owe Rosmah compensation. However, she is allowed to pursue a separate civil lawsuit to claim damages for any losses attributed to the authorities’ handling of the jewellery.
On March 29, 2023, Global Royalty initiated the lawsuit against Rosmah, alleging she falsely declared that 44 pieces of jewellery—comprising diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, and tiaras sent by the company’s agent—were confiscated by Malaysian authorities under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Rosmah’s lawyer, Reza Rahim, told the press that the court did not allow their application to insert the police and the government as third parties in the lawsuit as they were not joint tortfeasors and owed no duty of indemnity to Rosmah.
He also said they would be appealing the decision.
A defendant can apply to insert a third party who is not part of the main suit in order to claim contribution, indemnity or any remedy which is claimed by the plaintiff.
During the in-chamber proceedings here on Wednesday (May 29), lawyer Venothani Rajagopal appeared for the plaintiff Global Royalty Trading SAL, while Senior Federal Counsel Syafiq Affandy appeared for the police and the government.
The lawsuit will be heard in a full trial from June 2 and June 6, 2025.
According to the Beirut-based Global Royalty, only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was kept by the police, and the remaining 43 pieces were not in the authorities’ custody.
Global Royalty also claimed that Rosmah had shifted the burden to the Malaysian government when the jewellery had gone missing.
In her defence, Rosmah asserted that if the 43 pieces of jewellery were lost, the police or the Malaysian government should be responsible for the losses. She claimed that the jewellery was in the possession of the authorities at all material time.
Rosmah is asking the police and the government, among other things, to compensate and/or contribute to the reliefs sought by the jeweller.
Rosmah said companies like Global Royalty sought publicity for their products and wanted her to be their customer.
She added that items would be sent to her to attract buyers, and she was not obligated to purchase them.
In reply, the firm said it was a “well-established and renowned jeweller” operating internationally and did not need additional publicity from Rosmah.
The company first sued Rosmah on June 26, 2018, demanding that she return the 44 pieces of jewellery that had been sent to her for selection or pay the full price of all the jewellery, amounting to USD14.79 million.
That lawsuit, however, was withdrawn in 2019, and they refiled again last year.
