A jewellery wholesale company in Lebanon has filed a lawsuit against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, demanding US$14.57 million (RM67,461,027.37) for an alleged breach of contract regarding the loss of 43 pieces of jewellery belonging to them.
They had apparently handed the jewellery over to her 5 years ago, in 2018, and never received it back.
According to a report by Kosmo, Beirut-based Global Royalty Trading SAL filed the suit through Messrs David Gurupatham & Koay at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on March 29, naming Rosmah as the sole defendant.
Based on the statement of claim, Global Royalty shared that Rosmah had lied in her affidavit and defense by stating that 44 units of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras, handed over by an agent of the company to the defendant had been confiscated by the Malaysian authorities for offenses under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The company further explained that only 1 of the 44 pieces of jewellery is in the custody and control of the police, and the remaining 43 pieces of jewellery belonging to them are not with the authorities.
“Therefore, the defendant has failed and was negligent to return the remaining 43 pieces of jewellery to the plaintiff, amounting to US$14.57 million (RM67,461,027.37) belonging to the plaintiff, which were handed over to the defendant on February 10, 2018,” Global Royalty added in their statement of claim.
Based on the Letter of Undertaking signed by Rosmah on May 22, 2018, she admitted that the jewellery was in her possession and was later confiscated by the Malaysian government. However, in the company’s efforts to recover the 44 pieces of jewellery, only 1 of the 44 items could be identified and retrieved by a representative of Global Royalty.
They explained that it is Rosmah’s duty to store and take care of all the jewellery and be responsible for its safety.
However, Global Royalty claimed that she had deceived them by shifting the burden to the Malaysian government, when the jewellery had actually been lost.
“Therefore, the defendant has to be responsible for bearing the loss for the missing 43 pieces of jewellery and the plaintiff has the right to claim damages,” they added.
Global Royalty applied for a mandatory order so that the jewellery should be returned to the plaintiff in good condition within 14 days from the date of judgment.
If it cannot be returned, Rosmah is responsible for paying the plaintiff the cost of the jewellery amounting to RM67,461,027.37 equivalent to US$14,567,270 in addition to applying for interest, costs and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
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