Khairuddin fails again to compel Jho Low to testify in pink diamond suit
The High Court says there is no need to cross-examine the businessman at this point in time.
KUALA LUMPUR: 1MDB critic Khairuddin Abu Hassan has again failed to drag businessman Low Taek Jho to the witness stand in his lawsuit seeking the return of a 22-carat pink diamond allegedly in the hands of Rosmah Mansor.
The High Court today dismissed Khairuddin’s application to cross-examine Low, better known as Jho Low, over his affidavit used to strike out the “pink diamond” suit.
Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim said there was no need to cross-examine Low at this juncture.
“There is no merit to this application,” he added.
The court will hear the application by Low, Rosmah and 1MDB to strike out Khairuddin’s suit tomorrow.
The court had previously turned down Khairuddin’s bid to cross-examine Low on whether he had appointed law firm Messr Ng Aik Guan to represent him in the suit.
Khairuddin claimed then that the firm’s appointment was made under suspicious circumstances.
The former Batu Kawan Umno deputy division chief filed the suit last August, seeking a court order for Rosmah to return the diamond, said to be worth US$27.3 million, to 1MDB.
He claimed that Low, acting through his agent Tan Kim Loong, had purchased the piece of jewellery from Loraine Schwartz in New York between June 2013 and March 2014.
The US’ Department of Justice (DoJ) has filed two civil forfeiture lawsuits to recover assets worth US$1.8 billion that it claimed were bought with funds from 1MDB.
Following its victory at last week’s polls, the Pakatan Harapan federal government formed a task force to investigate the sovereign fund’s financial affairs.
Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, who is member of the Council of Elders, said he had identified those who would assist in the investigation, to be carried out under the purview of the team.
He said the investigating team would submit a report to the government.
Court: Lawyer can appear for Jho Low over pink diamond lawsuit
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