Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Convicted in 1MDB Corruption Case

By: The Trek News Desk

A Malaysian court has found former Prime Minister Najib Razak guilty in a major case linked to the controversial 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, marking another significant legal setback for the veteran politician. The court held Najib responsible for abuse of power and multiple counts of money laundering in connection with the misuse of state funds.

Najib Razak, now 72, was accused of illegally diverting nearly 2.3 billion Malaysian ringgit from the country’s sovereign wealth fund. In its ruling delivered on Friday, the court convicted him on four counts related to abuse of authority and 21 counts of money laundering. The sentencing phase is yet to be announced.

The verdict was pronounced in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya, concluding a legal process that stretched over nearly seven years and involved testimony from dozens of witnesses. Najib has been behind bars since 2022 after being convicted in an earlier case tied to the same scandal.

Earlier this week, Najib faced another blow when the court rejected his plea to serve the remaining of his sentence under house arrest. Despite mounting legal troubles, he continues to enjoy support from a section of the public. On Friday, several supporters gathered outside the courthouse, claiming he has been unfairly targeted for political reasons.

The 1MDB scandal first surfaced about a decade ago and quickly escalated into one of the world’s most high-profile financial corruption cases. Investigators estimate that around 4.5 billion US dollars were siphoned off from the state fund, with a portion allegedly ending up in Najib’s personal bank accounts.

Najib’s defence has consistently argued that he was misled by close advisers, particularly financier Jho Low, who remains at large. However, Malaysian courts have repeatedly dismissed this claim. In 2020, Najib was convicted in another 1MDB-related case involving a former subsidiary of the fund and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, a term that was later reduced.

The latest conviction centres on a substantial transfer made to Najib’s personal account in 2013. Najib had claimed the money was a donation from the late Saudi King, but the court rejected this explanation.

The fallout from the 1MDB scandal has reshaped Malaysia’s political landscape. In the 2018 general elections, Najib’s long-ruling coalition suffered a historic defeat, ending decades of uninterrupted rule. The recent verdict has once again exposed internal divisions within the current governing alliance, which includes Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged all political actors to respect the judiciary and uphold the rule of law. Meanwhile, anti-corruption advocates caution that, despite high-profile convictions, Malaysia still faces significant challenges in strengthening its institutions and preventing large-scale corruption in the future.

Source: News Agencies