Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan made the order following 1MDB’s decision to withdraw its suit against Riza Shahriz for the alleged misappropriation of US$248 million in funds to finance movie productions and purchase various real estate. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR (March 7): The High Court here today ordered 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to pay RM225,000 in costs to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s step-son, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz and his two companies.
Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan made the order following 1MDB’s decision to withdraw its suit against Riza Shahriz for the alleged misappropriation of US$248 million in funds to finance movie productions and purchase various real estate.
“It is important to note that the proceedings before us involved a nine-day trial, comprising 8,000 pages of documents and at least 30 case management sessions.
“Additionally, the process included interlocutory applications, document preparation, and evidence gathering as part of the pre-trial exercise, along with a lengthy cross-examination of the plaintiff’s witnesses by the defendants’ counsels, which required thorough preparation and detailed research.
“There is no doubt that they are not easy tasks for the parties involved. Therefore, the cost is RM225,000 and without the liberty to file afresh,” he said.
In May 2021, 1MDB and its three subsidiaries namely 1MDB Energy Limited, 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited and 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited, filed the suit against Riza Shahriz, Red Granite Pictures Inc and Red Granite Capital Ltd for allegedly receiving the funds that they misused for personal gain, including financing a film and purchasing various properties.
The lawsuit was withdrawn following testimony from the defendant’s witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Special Operations Division director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin, who stated that a representation had been submitted to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to reach a global settlement in the lawsuit.
In his witness statement, Mohamad Zamri said the AGC had agreed to the representation and recorded a consent judgment at the Sessions Court here on May 14, 2020, as a global settlement in the lawsuit.
On May 14, 2020, the Sessions Court here granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to Riza Shahriz on five charges of laundering US$248 million (RM1.25 billion), allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB funds.
The trial started on Oct 16 last year and the plaintiffs have called three witnesses including former 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan and its former chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi to testify.
1MDB claimed that Riza Shahriz had misappropriated their funds from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low and was wilful and reckless in failing to make relevant inquiries as to the sources of the funds.
Thus, the plaintiffs sought a declaration that Riza Shahriz was responsible for the misappropriated funds, and therefore, demanded a repayment.
In a statement of defence filed in 2021, the defendants claimed to have obtained a loan from the Saudi royal family or the International Petroleum Investment Company to produce several films in the United States. – Bernama
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