KUALA LUMPUR: Former minister in the prime minister's department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has filed a lawsuit against Datuk Seri Najib Razak and three others to recover the US$731 million (RM2.6 billion) and RM42 million allegedly banked into the prime minister's accounts.
Zaid, through law firm Messrs Americk Sidhu, filed the Writ of Summons at the High Court Registry here yesterday.
The legal action named Najib, sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the Malaysian government, and his stepson Riza Shariz Abdul Aziz as defendants.
According to a copy of the Statement of Claim made available today, Zaid claimed that Najib had breached his fiduciary duties when he allegedly received the funds.
Zaid claimed that the RM2.6 billion had originated from 1MDB, and that the RM42 million came from the Malaysian government via SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Zaid also claimed that Najib had breached his fiduciary duties when he (Najib) allegedly conferred pecuniary benefit on Riza.
He seeks for the court to order Najib to pay back the RM2.6 billion to 1MDB and the RM42 million to the Malaysian government, as well as two per cent interest on the said monies.
Zaid seeks a court order to compel Riza to pay back all alleged sums he received, directly or indirectly, from 1MDB, and for him (Riza) to transfer to the sovereign wealth fund all purported properties he acquired.
However, the court papers did not specify how much money Riza allegedly received from 1MDB nor the value and other details of purported properties he possessed.
When contacted today, Zaid's counsel Americk confirmed the filing of the lawsuit yesterday. The matter is set for case management at the High Court here on Sept 21.