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THE High Court has directed that more than RM31 million in damages awarded to missing Pastor Raymond Koh be placed in a trust administered by Amanah Raya Berhad, pending confirmation of his whereabouts.
Datuk Jerald Gomez, counsel for Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew Sow Yoke, said Judge Su Tiang Joo issued the order following an agreement between the plaintiff and senior federal counsel Nurul Farhana Khalid, who represented both the government and the Royal Malaysia Police.
“Amanah Raya Berhad is appointed to hold the money and any interest as trustee for the first plaintiff (Koh) until his whereabouts can be identified or revealed,” Jerald told reporters after the proceedings.
He explained that the choice of Amanah Raya Berhad was driven by its comparatively low management fees and its assurance that the monies would be returned should the government proceed with an appeal.
The arrangement complies with the court’s ruling of 5 November, which required the damages to be deposited into a trustee account until Koh is located or his fate determined.
The award comprises daily general damages of RM10,000 from 13 February 2017 until his whereabouts are revealed, along with RM1 million in general damages and RM1 million in exemplary damages.
On 28 November, Liew applied for her legal firm, Messrs Jerald Gomez & Associates, to be appointed trustee, while also proposing PB Trustee Services Berhad and Amanah Raya Berhad as alternatives should the court decline to appoint the firm.
Liew filed the civil suit against the police and the government over her husband’s disappearance and their handling of the investigation.
Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted by a group of masked men while driving in Kelana Jaya on 13 February 2017, an incident widely recorded on CCTV and which continues to draw national and international concern. The case remains unresolved. - December 8, 2025