Jailed former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak on Thursday presented new evidence as part of his legal appeal, seeking to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. Currently serving a six-year sentence for corruption linked to the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund scandal, Najib faces multiple charges that stem from the financial scandal which contributed to his 2018 electoral defeat.
Appealing the high court’s decision
Najib’s legal team is challenging the High Court’s previous refusal to allow him to serve his sentence at home, with the case now before the Court of Appeal. At the heart of the appeal is the alleged existence of an order by the former king, which Najib’s defense claims grants him permission to finish his sentence under house arrest.
During the hearing, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Najib’s lead counsel, informed the Court of Appeal that new evidence had been introduced to support their application. While Shafee refrained from disclosing specific details to the media, he emphasized that the evidence was intended to “prove conclusively” the existence of the royal order.
Defense team of Najib Razak maintains royal order exists
The High Court previously ruled in July that affidavits supporting Najib’s claim regarding the royal order were inadmissible due to their hearsay nature. Despite this ruling, Najib’s defense team maintains that the order exists and was issued to allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence at home. The order itself has not been made public, and there has been no official comment from the former king, whose reign ended earlier this year.
Shafee added that the order directed Najib to “serve the balance of his imprisonment sentence in the house,” and hinted that the public would be “quite surprised” by who the former king allegedly instructed to carry out the decree.
Government lawyers Request time to review evidence submitted by Najib Razak
In response, senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan stated that the government legal team would need time to assess the newly submitted evidence. He mentioned that they may or may not respond to the affidavit but would first verify the authenticity of the documents presented.
The Court of Appeal has adjourned the hearing, with no date set for the next session. If the court rules in Najib’s favor, the case will return to the High Court for further legal proceedings.
What is 1MDB scandal?
1MDB, or 1Malaysia Development Berhad, was a state-run investment fund launched by Najib in 2009. The fund, designed to invest in various assets including energy projects and real estate, became embroiled in a massive financial scandal. Investigations revealed that billions of dollars were misappropriated, with Low Taek Jho, a financier with close ties to Najib, playing a key role in its operations.
The scandal became public in 2015 when The Wall Street Journal reported that Najib had received at least $681 million in his personal bank accounts. This triggered a global investigation into money laundering, with the U.S. Justice Department filing lawsuits seeking to seize assets linked to the stolen funds.
Poltical fallout
The stolen funds were reportedly used to finance extravagant purchases, including a $35 million Monet painting, a $5.5 million Van Gogh, a $35 million Bombardier jet, and a $250 million yacht. The funds were also used to finance the production of the Hollywood film The Wolf of Wall Street, produced by Najib’s stepson, Riza Aziz.
The 1MDB scandal had far-reaching consequences for Najib’s political career, contributing to his party’s loss in the 2018 general elections. Following his defeat, the new government, led by Mahathir Mohamad, reopened investigations into the scandal, resulting in multiple charges against Najib. Despite this, Najib’s political party regained power in 2020 following a political crisis, raising concerns about the potential impact on ongoing legal proceedings, particularly after charges against Riza Aziz were unexpectedly dropped.
