KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court will be informed on Jan 5 whether the charges against former Goldman Sachs bank officer Roger Ng Chong Hwa (pix) over the sale of securities notes and bonds worth US$6.5 billion, belonging to a subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), would proceed or be dropped.
The prosecution will update Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin on that day on whether the Attorney-General (AG) accepts or rejects Ng’s representation for a review of the charges.
Ng is facing four charges of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of the 1MDB bonds. Two of the charges are being heard before Justice Muhammad Jamil and the other two before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.
The case presided by Justice Mohamed Zaini has been fixed for case management before his deputy registrar on Dec 7.
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. — Bernama
