.jpg "Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah addresses reporters during a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur High Court May 20, 2021. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture by Hari Anggara")
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — After the government failed to forfeit RM114 million from Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno following a High Court decision earlier this morning, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said he will be sending a legal letter to deputy public prosecutors for monies to be returned to their rightful owners.
Justifying the need to send the letter, Shafee said this is because High Court Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin had ruled that the prosecution has failed to prove their case that the monies allegedly originated from money laundering sources.
“We would today issue a letter (to the prosecution) to return the money to Datuk Seri Najib and Umno,’’ he said to the press during a press conference at Kuala Lumpur Court complex today, of which a recording of the session was received by the Malay Mail.
Shafee also added that he will give the prosecution 24 hours to respond as his clients have been waiting for so long.
Shafee again stressed that the seized assets from the raid at the Pavilion residences in 2018 originally amounted to RM160 million, not RM114 million.
Shafee also explained that some of the seized cash from the raid were leftover funds from the general election and were utilised by his client, Najib in the latter’s capacity as Umno president at the time.
Umno and Najib are third party claimants to the monies. Any third party claiming to have an interest in property seized by the government is required to appear in court to present reasons why it should not be forfeited by the government.
In 2019, the prosecution filed a forfeiture application against Obyu Holdings to forfeit the money, as well as 11,991 units of jewellery, 401 watches and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of spectacles and 306 handbags.
