Former Malaysian PM guilty of corruption : pleads not

Special Desk

The former Malaysian PM Najib Razak was found guilty of all seven charges in the first of several multi-million dollar corruption trials. Razak had pleaded not guilty to the charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power.

The case against Najib, in office from 2009 to 2018, was widely seen as a test of Malaysia’s anti-corruption efforts. The scandal around Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund has uncovered a global web of fraud and corruption.

After considering all evidence in this trial, I find that the prosecution has successfully proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, judge Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali told the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The verdicts on Tuesday centred on 42 million ringgit transferred from the fund to the then-prime minister’s private accounts. Najib denies all wrongdoing and says he was misled by financial advisers in particular fugitive financier Jho Low who has been charged in both the US and Malaysia, but also maintains his innocence.

Also Read : In two week positive development upon COVID-19 treatment: Trump

Also Read : North Korea on alert over ‘first suspected coronavirus case’

Najib’s defence team argued he was led to believe the funds in his accounts were donated by the Saudi royal family – rather than misappropriated from the state fund. The charges carry as much as 15 to 20 years in prison each. Before the verdict, Najib said he would appeal if found guilty.

Whether the former PM would be held accountable for a massive financial scandal on his watch; whether Najib, still a powerful figure in the former ruling party, could eventually make a political comeback. During the trial the court heard that Najib had spent lavishly on items like jewellery from funds in the account.