Najib Razak found guilty of abuse of power in 1MDB mega corruption case

KUALA LUMPUR: Jailed former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was found guilty of abuse of power on Friday in the biggest trial yet linked to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, a ruling that could have far-reaching political consequences in Malaysia.

The verdict was delivered by Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who said the defence’s claim that the case was politically motivated had been “debunked by cold, hard and incontrovertible evidence”. The court has yet to complete the reading of the full verdict and announce sentencing.

Malaysian and US investigators say at least $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB, a state fund Najib co-founded in 2009 while in office. Prosecutors allege that more than $1 billion flowed into accounts linked to Najib, allegations he has repeatedly denied.

Najib faces four counts of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering over the alleged receipt of more than 2.3 billion ringgit ($569 million) from 1MDB-linked entities. He could face between 15 and 20 years in prison on each charge, along with fines of up to five times the amount allegedly misappropriated.

Judge Sequerah said evidence showed Najib abused his powerful position within 1MDB and rejected his argument that he was the victim of a political witch hunt. The judge also pointed to what he described as an “unmistakable bond and connection” between Najib and fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, commonly known as Jho Low, who allegedly acted as Najib’s proxy in 1MDB affairs.

Low, who is wanted by US authorities, denies wrongdoing and remains at large.

Najib, 72, has been in prison since August 2022 after Malaysia’s top court upheld his conviction in a separate 1MDB-linked case. His 12-year sentence in that case was later reduced to six years by a pardons board.

During the trial, Najib maintained that funds deposited into his accounts were donations from the Saudi royal family and that he was misled by Jho Low and other 1MDB officials. However, the judge dismissed this claim, calling the so-called Arab donation narrative “implausible” and saying documents produced in support were uncorroborated and likely forged.

“The irresistible conclusion is that the monies were, in fact, derived from 1MDB funds,” Judge Sequerah said.

The ruling comes amid renewed political sensitivity, days after a Malaysian court rejected Najib’s bid to serve his sentence under house arrest. Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition, despite having opposed him in the 2022 elections.

Prime Minister Anwar earlier urged calm, calling on all sides to accept court decisions with patience and wisdom as the country continues to grapple with the fallout of the 1MDB scandal.