Khairuddin fails in bid to have Jho Low cross-examined in suit over Rosmah’s necklace set

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Batu Kawan Umno division chief Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan yesterday failed to get Low Taek Jho or Jho Low to be cross- examined in his suit to direct Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to return a 22- carat pink diamond necklace set worth US$ 27.3 million allegedly bought with 1Malaysia Development Berhad ( 1MDB) funds.

High Court Judge Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim dismissed Khairuddin’s application to crossexamine Jho Low pertaining to his (Jho Low’s) affidavit to support his (Jho Low”s) application to strike out the suit fi led by Khairuddin.

Khairuddin’s counsel Damien Chan told reporters the judge held that there was no need to crossexamine Jho Low at this stage.

“The judge also agreed with submissions by Jho Low’s lawyer that the application by the plaintiff ( Khairuddin) has no merit,” he told reporters after the judge made the ruling in chambers. Counsel Rishwant Singh acted for Jho Low.

Chan also said that the court set tomorrow to hear the application by the defendants, Jho Low, Rosmah and 1MDB, to strike out Khairuddin’s suit.

The defendants filed the application on Sept 7, 2017, on the grounds that Khairuddin had no locus standi to fi le the suit against them.

Khairuddin filed the suit on Aug 16, 2016, claiming that between June 2013 and March 2014, Jho Low, through his agent, had bought jewellery from New York jeweller Lorraine totalling US$ 27.3 million. He claimed that the money was taken from 1MDB.

Khairuddin further contended that the jewellery, in the form of a pink diamond valued at US$ 23 million and a necklace valued at US$ 4.3 million, was received as a gift by Rosmah on March 2014.

As such, he is seeking a court order for Rosmah to return the jewellery to 1MDB and for Jho Low to pay the amount of money allegedly taken from 1MDB, as well damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court. —Bernama