Rosmah denied unconditional stay over RM67.5mil jewellery judgment

In a recent legal ruling, the Court of Appeal has denied Rosmah Mansor's request for an unconditional stay on a High Court order demanding payment of approximately RM67.5 million to a Lebanese jewellery company. The appeal, scheduled for March 25, concerns 43 pieces of luxury jewellery worth US$14.57 million, which Global Royalty Trading SAL claims were supplied to Rosmah on consignment in 2018.

The company asserts the jewellery remains its property and was never returned, leading to their pursuit of compensation from Rosmah.

Initially, a High Court judge ordered Rosmah to pay the RM67.5 million within a month in June 2021. However, a conditional stay was granted by judicial commissioner Marianne Antoinette Ghani, requiring Rosmah to deposit the full judgment sum in a joint account with both parties' solicitors, which would remain in Malaysia and be returned if her appeal succeeded.

Rosmah then appealed for an unconditional stay, but the Court of Appeal's three-judge bench, chaired by Justice Firuz Jaffril, decided against her, stating she did not present sufficient grounds for such a stay pending the appellate hearing. The bench also ordered Rosmah to pay RM30,000 in costs.