Prosecution in Roger Ng's case ordered to get instructions from AGC

KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa's case has been ordered by the High Court here today to obtain appropriate instructions from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) so that the case will not be on hold for too long.

Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin said this after deputy public prosecutor Zaki Asyraf Zubir informed the court on Ng's temporary extradition to the United States (US) until Feb 28, 2024, to proceed with appeals in criminal cases that were brought against him in the country.

"If this case is postponed after February 2024 it will be too long, maybe the prosecution can get proper instructions from the attorney general," said the judge and set Jan 10 for case management for the prosecution to inform the court of the development.

Earlier, Zaki informed the court that Ng's criminal case in the US had been concluded and the sentencing was slated for Nov 9, but had been postponed to Dec 9.

Lawyer Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, representing Ng said the Malaysian and the US governments had agreed to to the temporary extradition of his client to the US until Feb 28, 2024 and suggested the court to fix the date for case management in January or February 2023.

The reason being that the sentencing process has been set by the Eastern District Court of New York on Dec 9," he added.

On April 8, Ng was found guilty by the US court of corruption charges related to his role in helping loot hundreds of millions of dollars from Malaysia's 1MDB development fund.

On Dec 19, 2018, Ng pleaded not guilty to four charges of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$6.5 billion by dropping material facts and making false statements.

He was charged with committing the offences at the 1MDB office on the 8th Floor of Menara IMC, No 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail here between March 19, 2012, and Nov 11, 2013.

On Sept 4 last year, the charges against Goldman Sach International Ltd and its two entities in Asia, namely Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore) were dropped after High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan allowed the prosecution's application to withdraw the charges over the sale of 1MDB bonds valued at US$$6.5 billion.

-- BERNAMA