.JPG "Ex-Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng leaves the federal court in New York May 6, 2019. — Reuters pic")
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — The prosecution has applied for all four charges against former Goldman Sachs bank officer Roger Ng Chong Hwa over the sale of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) bonds totalling US$6.5 billion (RM26.4 billion) to be heard by one High Court judge.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Izzat Fauzan from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) said currently two charges are being heard before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan and the other two before Justice Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin.
“We are seeking to transfer the two charges from Justice Mohamed Zaini to Justice Muhammad Jamil. Today, the court fixed Jan 25 next year to hear the SC’s transfer application before Justice Mohamed Zaini to transfer the case from his court to Justice Muhammad Jamil,” he told reporters after meeting High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas when the case came up for case management.
Also present was lawyer Cairns Tan who represented Ng.
The case before Justice Muhammad Jamil has been fixed for case management on Jan 5, for the prosecution to update the court on whether the Attorney General (AG) accepts or rejects Ng’s representation for a review of the charges.
On Sept 10, Ng’s lawyer, Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, informed the two courts that the letter of representation was sent to the AG following an action by the prosecution in withdrawing similar charges made against Goldman Sachs International Ltd and its two Asian entities, Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore).
On Sept 4, the charges against the three entities were dropped after Justice Mohamed Zaini granted the prosecution’s application to withdraw the charges relating to the sale of 1MDB bonds amounting to US$6.5 billion.
Ng, 47, was still in extradition in New York to face charges by the US Department of Justice in relation to the 1MDB scandal. His case in New York has been set for six weeks beginning February 2021.
Ng was extradited to the US in May last year.
On Dec 19, 2018, Ng pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to four counts of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of 1MDB bonds totalling US$6.5 billion by leaving out material facts and making false statements.
He was charged with committing the offences at the 1MDB office, Level 8, Menara IMC, No. 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail here between March 19, 2012 and Nov 11, 2013.
His case was subsequently transferred to be heard before the two High Court judges.
— Bernama