World

Malaysian Ex-PM Najib Razak Prepares To Challenge 1MDB Charges

A Malaysian court has determined that former Prime Minister Najib Razak must defend himself against four charges of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering linked to the notorious 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Background of the Case

The allegations center on Najib’s purported illegal receipt of 2.3 billion ringgit (approximately $526 million) from 1MDB. Despite pleading not guilty, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2022 for graft in a separate 1MDB-related case, though this sentence was subsequently halved by a pardons board led by the Malaysian king.

Court Ruling

On Wednesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court upheld the validity of all 25 charges against Najib, confirming their correctness in legal terms. A prosecutor stated that Najib will take the stand to defend himself, although his lawyer has yet to comment on the ruling.

Najib’s Response and Apology

Najib, who served as Prime Minister for nine years before being ousted in 2018, issued a rare apology last week for his role in the scandal. He claimed to have been misled, asserting that he believed the funds in his personal accounts were political donations from the Saudi royal family. His apology coincided with the announcement of a new law allowing for house arrest for certain offenses, although the government denied that this law was aimed at Najib.

Seeking House Arrest

In a bid to serve the remainder of his sentence at home, Najib is seeking a court ruling to confirm a royal order that allegedly recommended house arrest as part of the pardons board’s decision.

Global Implications of 1MDB

Investigators in both Malaysia and the United States have uncovered that at least $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials and their associates between 2009 and 2014. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has described this scheme as “kleptocracy at its worst.” Prosecutors claim that over $1 billion of 1MDB funds ended up in Najib’s personal accounts, and he faces several other trials related to the scandal.

(Includes inputs from online sources)

ALSO READ: U.S. GDP Growth Forecasts Indicate Continued Economic Resilience

Prateek Levi

Recent Posts

Supreme Court Affirms Kennedy Will Remain On Ballot Despite Request To Withdraw

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed an emergency appeal on Tuesday from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,…

1 min ago

Diwali 2024: From Kaju Katli To Adhirasam, Explore Chef Dheena’s Must-Try Diwali Sweets & Tips

Chef Dheena shared how Diwali represents the beauty of togetherness, the triumph of light over…

6 mins ago

Virat Kohli Poised For Reappointment As RCB Captain

Virat Kohli is on the verge of being reappointed as the skipper of the Royal…

9 mins ago

India and China Complete Disengagement in Depsang and Demchok Areas of Eastern Ladakh

Coordinated patrolling by both sides is set to begin soon, with ground commanders maintaining regular…

11 mins ago

All About Luxury Wellness Resort In Bengaluru Visited By King Charles And Queen Camilla

King Charles and Queen Camilla recently spent four private days at Bengaluru’s Soukya Health and…

22 mins ago

How Did RBI Secretly Manage To Get 102 Tonnes Of Gold From The Bank of England On Dhanteras?

Gold now represents 9.3% of India’s total foreign reserves, an increase from 8.1% in March.…

24 mins ago