Police investigate ownership claim over jewellery seized from Najib-linked properties

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 24): Information is still being gathered by the police, regarding claims on jewellery seized from premises linked to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Star reports that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said information is being gathered from various parties.

"If someone claimed that the jewellery are theirs, then they must prove it.

"We are investigating the claims from all parties, including the jewellers from Lebanon," he was quoted as saying by the daily. 

There is a one-year period for police to hold on to evidence in a case, provided by the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, he said.

The daily has reported that the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the government to confirm if the 44 pieces of jewellery loaned by a Lebanese jeweller to Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, were included in police raids in the course of their investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

High Court Judicial Commissioner Wong Chee Lin made the order following information by Senior Federal Counsel Izham Marzuki to the court, that the Attorney General's Chambers could not confirm if the 44 items of jewellery were part of the 12,000-piece collected as evidence by the police. The 44 items are worth about RM60mil and are owned by Global Royalty Trading SAL.

The jewellers filed an RM60mil suit against Rosmah in July, saying in its statement of claim that the former premier's wife had acknowledged that she received the items in a letter on May 22.

The Star reports that Global Royalty Trading, in its statement of claim dated Feb 10, said that the 44 pieces of jewellery were a tiara, diamond necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings, that had been sent to Rosmah.

The daily cites the statement of claim, which says that while Rosmah had acknowledged in writing to receiving the consignment, the items were no longer in her custody.

Several houses linked to Najib were raided by the police, over a few days beginning May 16.