This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 20, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Ex-Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng is appealing to the High Court to be released on bail pending his extradition to the US.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Suloshani Vijendran said the matter has been fixed for mention on April 23, while awaiting Sessions Court Judge M M Edwin Paramjothy to submit his full written grounds of judgement.

The appeal at the High Court follows the Sessions Court’s rejection of Ng’s application for bail on Jan 7 on the grounds that the ex-banker is a flight risk.

“There is no bail offered for extradition case. This is an extradition case, not the CMSA (Capital Markets and Services Act) charges at the Sessions Court. But this (appeal) is his right, if he wants to proceed, we will do so,” said Suloshani.

Ng, who is presently committed to prison, filed the appeal in January.

The matter came out for mention before High Court Deputy Registrar Raja Shahril Anuar Raja Baniamin yesterday.

Ng was charged at the Sessions Court on Dec 19 last year with four counts of abetting with Goldman Sachs in the sale of 1Malaysia Development Nhd (1MDB) bonds totalling US$6.5 billion, by leaving out material facts and making false statements. He pleaded not guilty.

Despite bail being offered when he was charged under CMSA, Ng, however, was not released from the Sungai Buloh Prison due to pending extradition proceedings at the Sessions Court.

On Feb 15, he waived his rights to challenge the extradition proceedings and the Sessions Court allowed him to be extradited within three months from that day.