Malaysia Court Convicts Ex-PM Najib in Major 1MDB Abuse of Power Trial

• Ex-PM Najib faces four corruption charges.
• The former leader also faces 21 counts of money laundering.
• $4.5 billion stolen; over $1 billion routed to accounts linked to Najib.
  

KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Razak, the imprisoned former Malaysian prime minister, was convicted of abuse of power on Friday in the most significant trial to date related to the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal. The ruling could have major political consequences.

The full verdict and sentencing have yet to be announced by the judge.

Investigators from Malaysia and the United States allege that at least $4.5 billion was embezzled from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state investment fund co-founded by Najib in 2009 during his time in office. More than $1 billion reportedly ended up in accounts connected to Najib, who has consistently denied any involvement in wrongdoing.

Najib faces charges of four corruption counts and 21 money laundering counts for allegedly receiving illegal transfers exceeding 2.3 billion ringgit ($569.45 million) from 1MDB. He maintains his innocence.

“The defendant’s claim that these charges are a witch hunt motivated by politics was dismantled by the solid, undeniable evidence against him, which proved he exploited his powerful position within 1MDB, along with the extensive authority granted to him,” said Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah during the ongoing verdict reading.

Najib could face maximum sentences of 15 to 20 years in prison for each charge, along with fines up to five times the value of the misappropriated funds.

Now 72, Najib has been incarcerated since August 2022, when Malaysia’s highest court upheld his conviction for illegally accepting funds from a 1MDB unit. His 12-year sentence in that case was reduced last year by a pardon board.

Connection to Fugitive Financier

Last year, Najib issued an apology for mishandling the scandal during his tenure but continued to deny any misconduct, claiming he was misled by 1MDB officials and fugitive financier Jho Low regarding the source of the funds.

In the verdict, Judge Sequerah highlighted that evidence indicated Najib had a clear link to Low, who acted as a proxy and intermediary for Najib in 1MDB dealings.

Low, who is facing charges in the U.S. for his central role in the case, denies all accusations, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Najib maintained he was duped into believing the deposits in his account were donations from the Saudi royal family. However, Sequerah dismissed this claim, calling it “implausible” and stating that letters purportedly from the Saudi royal family supporting the donations were unsubstantiated and likely forgeries.

“The compelling conclusion is that the Saudi donation story is unfounded… The evidence clearly shows the funds originated from 1MDB,” Sequerah said.

Government’s Challenge

The verdict came shortly after a court rejected Najib’s request to serve his sentence under house arrest—an outcome that has reignited tensions within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government.

Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), campaigned against Anwar in the 2022 elections but later joined his coalition to form a government after the vote resulted in a hung parliament.

Some UMNO leaders expressed disappointment over the denial of house arrest for Najib, and social media posts celebrating the earlier ruling by some members of Anwar’s coalition drew criticism.

In response, Anwar urged everyone to remain calm and accept the court’s decision with patience and wisdom.