Lebanon jeweller sues Rosmah over 'missing' bling

A wholesale jeweller from Lebanon has filed a suit against Rosmah Mansor, demanding that she pay US$14.57 million or RM67.46 million for violating a contract involving 43 pieces of jewellery sent to her five years ago.

Global Royalty Trading SAL, based in Beirut, filed the suit as the plaintiff through Messrs David Gurupatham and Koay at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on March 29, naming the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak as the sole defendant.

In its statement of claim, Global Royalty said that Rosmah, 71, had lied in her affidavit and her statement of defence by saying that 44 pieces of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras sent to her by the company’s agent were seized by the Malaysian authorities for offences under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The company said this was because only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was kept by the police and the remaining 43 pieces were not in the custody of the authorities.

"Therefore, the defendant failed and was negligent to return to the plaintiff the remaining 43 pieces of jewellery amounting to US$14.57 million which were sent to the defendant on Feb 10, 2018," it said.

The plaintiff said that based on the letter of undertaking signed by Rosmah, dated May 22, 2018, she had admitted that the jewellery was in her possession and then confiscated by the Malaysian government.

"However, in the company's efforts to recover all 44 pieces of jewellery, only one of them could be identified and retrieved from the government by the representative appointed by the plaintiff... that is the diamond emerald bracelet," it said.

Global Royalty added that it was the duty of the defendant to take care of all of the jewellery and keep it safe.

It also claimed that the defendant had deceived the company by shifting the burden to the government when, in fact, the jewellery had gone missing.

The company is seeking an order for the jewellery to be returned to the plaintiff in good condition within 14 days of the date of judgment, failing which the defendant must pay the plaintiff damages of RM67,461,027.37 or US$14,567,270, besides interest, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.