After eight years, Lebanese jeweller says ‘vindicated’ by RM67.5m judgment against Rosmah

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Lebanese jeweller Samer Halimeh today said he felt vindicated after winning an eight-year legal battle against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, whom the High Court ordered to pay RM67.5 million over 43 missing pieces of luxury jewellery.

The founder of Global Royalty Trading SAL described the ruling as proof of the Malaysian judiciary’s independence after years of challenges to both his claim and personal credibility, the New Straits Times reported today.

“I am pleased with the outcome. The Malaysian courts have shown again that they are independent,” Halimeh was quoted as saying.

The 51-year-old businessman said the case had been marked by allegations that the claim was fabricated and attempts to discredit him.

“It took eight years to get to this result, with many hurdles, including negative social media campaigns by certain quarters claiming that the company and the claim were fake,” he was quoted as saying.

Halimeh said he was grateful to his legal team for seeing the case through and hoped the matter could now be resolved.

“Not many people believed I would get justice in Malaysia. Justice has prevailed,” he added.

Last Tuesday, the High Court ordered Rosmah to pay RM67,461,027.37 within a month after finding her liable for failing to return 43 pieces of jewellery supplied on a consignment basis.

Halimeh’s lawyer, Datuk David Gurupatham, said his client would pursue all available legal avenues to recover the award, including bankruptcy proceedings as a last resort.

The dispute centred on 44 pieces of luxury jewellery worth US$14.57 million that Global Royalty said were delivered to Rosmah in 2018 for viewing under a consignment arrangement.

The court found Rosmah had received the jewellery, did not purchase or pay for it, and failed to return 43 pieces.

Only one item – a diamond and emerald bracelet – was eventually recovered and returned to the Lebanese company following separate forfeiture proceedings.

In its ruling, the High Court said Rosmah failed to account for the missing jewellery and did not prove her claim that the pieces had been seized during a 2018 police raid linked to investigations into her husband, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.