Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Tuesday, 28 July, was found guilty and convicted on all charges in his first trial linked to a multi-billion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). He was convicted on all seven charges.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali was quoted by Reuters as, “After considering all evidence in this trial, I find that the prosecution has successfully proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt”.
The former PM could be imprisoned for about 15 to 20 years. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power, and uncovering a global web of corruption.
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BBC reported that the scam was related to the 42 million ringgit ($10m, £7.7m) transferred from the fund to the then-prime minister, Razak’s private accounts.
The PM was in office from 2009 to 2018. To boost the country’s economic growth, the 1MDB fund was set up in 2009. The media report said that the former PM had alleged that he was misled by his financial advisors, especially fugitive financier Jho Low who has been charged in both the US and Malaysia and that the case against him is political.
Both the Malaysian and the United States authorities have accused him of plundering public money and had alleged that the fund had accumulated billions in debt over the years.
The allegedly “stolen” money has been associated with financing Hollywood films, buying hotels, luxury yacht, jewellery, and masterpieces like Van Gogh.
The family of the former PM Razak including his wife and uncle, along with several other officials have also been charged.
Corruption has made democracy its home and it continues to grow and spread its roots deeper into the political world until it becomes intolerable.
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