 "Malaysia’s ex-PM Najib Razak convicted of abuse of power in second 1MDB trial")
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been found guilty in his second major trial linked to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, a verdict that carries significant political and legal implications for the country.
Najib, 72, was convicted on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering over illegal transfers totalling around 2.2 billion Malaysian ringgit ($539 million) from the state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Prosecutors said he exploited his positions as prime minister, finance minister, and 1MDB advisory board chairman to divert funds into personal accounts.
Background of the 1MDB scandal
Investigations in Malaysia and the United States have revealed that at least $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB, a fund co-founded by Najib in 2009.
Over $1 billion is alleged to have ended up in accounts linked to him. Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing, claiming he was misled by 1MDB officials and the fugitive financier Jho Low.
Judge rejects Najib’s defence
During the verdict reading, Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah dismissed Najib’s claims that the charges were politically motivated. The court found evidence of an “unmistakable bond and connection” between Najib and Low, who acted as his intermediary in 1MDB dealings.
Letters presented by Najib claiming that funds were donations from the Saudi royal family were dismissed as unverified and likely forgeries. “The irresistible conclusion is that the Arab donation narrative is not meritorious … the evidence pointed unmistakably to the fact that the monies were, in fact, derived from 1MDB funds,” the judge said.
Potential penalties
Najib faces maximum jail terms of 15 to 20 years per charge and fines of up to five times the misappropriated amounts. He has been in prison since August 2022, following a previous 1MDB conviction that was later reduced from 12 to six years by a pardons board.
The verdict has heightened tensions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government. Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), opposed Anwar during the 2022 elections but later joined his coalition. Some UMNO leaders expressed anger over the court’s refusal to grant Najib house arrest, while Anwar urged calm and called for acceptance of the verdict with “full patience and wisdom.”
Quick Reads
View AllLengthy and complex legal proceedings
This second trial, the most significant to date due to the scale of the sums involved, has lasted seven years and called 76 witnesses, including Najib himself. Legal experts have highlighted the complexity and multi-layered nature of the financial crimes, noting that the proceedings have been lengthy and highly intricate.
While Najib apologised last year for mishandling the 1MDB scandal, he maintained in court that he was misled by Low. Judge Sequerah emphasised that Najib’s connection with Low was central to the illegal transfers, further undermining his defence that the funds were legitimate donations.
The ruling marks a critical chapter in Malaysia’s fight against corruption and could have lasting effects on the country’s political landscape.
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