KUALA LUMPUR: Fashion designer Datuk Jovian Mandagie has been ordered to pay RM10 million to two company directors for breaching two separate friendly loan agreements given to him two years ago.
High Court Judge Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin, in his summary judgments dated Apr 2 and 4, ordered Jovian, the sole defendant in the suits, to pay RM5 million each to plaintiffs, Cekap Air Sdn Bhd and Bina Pragmatik Sdn Bhd.
Law firm Messrs Saiful, Roger & Co, which represented both companies, confirmed the matter. It is understood that Jovian filed an appeal on April 30.
In statement of claims filed separately, Cekap Air director Yong Zhen Wei and Bina Pragmatik director Azirul Salihin said they had, upon the verbal requests of Jovian, who is an acquaintance, each gave RM5 million on a friendly loan basis and it must be repaid in not more than 12 months.
Cekap Air had on Feb 25, 2022 transferred the sum into a law firm's clients account while Bina Pragmatik had on March 25 the same year issued a cheque on the name of a law firm.
Both firms represented Jovian confirmed to have received the monies on their client's behalf and on his instructions.
The plaintiffs said that despite repeated verbal requests, demands, and a final notice of claim on April 5, Jovian or his lawyers have failed, refused, or neglected to repay or return the monies in full or in part, causing them severe losses and prejudice.
The plaintiffs stated that the friendly loan was made verbally and in a casual manner because they had no reason to doubt Jovian, who has many other businesses and is the son-in-law of former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
They also said Jovian, at the material time, did not dispute the monies that had been loaned to him but still failed to settle the repayment or return the sum to them and therefore, had breached the friendly loan agreements.
On May 10, Jovian announced that Jovian Mandagie Group's high profile fashion operations closure after being in the business for 17 years.
On Dec 6 last year, Jovian revealed that he and his wife, Nina Ismail Sabri, had been divorced since August after 10 years of marriage.
