KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 3): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and their two children, Umno, and Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL had today indicated to the High Court that they will stake their claims in the RM680 million 1Malaysia Development Bhd forfeiture suit against OBYU Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Lawyers, who are representing the four parties, revealed this to High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah when the OBYU case was called up for case management today.

Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who appeared on behalf of Najib, told the court that his client will come in as a third party, claiming certain currencies, mostly foreign, which are his client's personal money, and also personal effects including watches, pens and various accessories.

In the action against OBYU, the government is seeking 11,991 pieces of jewellery, 401 watches and 16 units of watch accessories, 234 spectacles and 306 handbags that were seized by the police on May 17 last year, as well as cash amounting to RM114.16 million seized on Jan 31, 2019.

A property referred to as Lot PT80 in Kuala Lumpur seized on Nov 1, 2018 is also on the list of items sought.

Najib and Umno are seeking to claim monies while Rosmah and her two children, Nooryana Najwa and Norashman, as well as Global Royalty are seeking to claim jewellery and other accessories which are among the 11,991 items the authorities want to seize.

Lawyer Nor Fazreen Hazrina Rahim, who represents Umno, told the High Court that Umno is seeking to claim for cash of RM1 million, while Datuk David Gurupatham, acting for Global Royalty, is seeking to claim several pieces of jewellery seized by the police.

According to Gurupatham, the jewellery is linked to the civil suit filed by his client against Rosmah to seek the return of 44 pieces of jewellery sent to her for selection or for her to pay the price of all the pieces of jewellery amounting to US$14.79 million or almost RM60 million.

After parties made known their intent to stake their claims, lawyer Datuk Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, who appears for OBYU, reiterated that they object to the main suit and will present their case later.

Justice Sequerah then ordered all parties to file their applications and supporting affidavits for their claims before Oct 31.

Deputy public prosecutor Aaron Chelliah appeared on behalf of the government and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which is initiating the forfeiture today.