Malaysian Ex-Prime Minister Najib Loses Appeal, Begins 12-Years Sentence – The former prime minister Najib Razak was found guilty and given a 12-year jail term on corruption charges on Tuesday by Malaysia’s Federal Court. Najib’s appeals were unanimously denied by the court, and the conviction from the lower courts was maintained, according to Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat. This was Najib’s final appeal.
After upholding a guilty verdict on charges relating to a multi-billion dollar fraud scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, Malaysia’s top court on Tuesday ordered former prime leader Najib Razak to begin a 12-year jail sentence. The country’s top court rejected Najib’s final appeal and turned down his request for a sentence stay.
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Najib, 69, was found guilty in July 2020 of money laundering, abuse of position, and criminal breach of trust after obtaining $10 million from SRC International, a former division of 1MDB, illegally. He had been free on bail while appeals were pending.
The former premier received a 12-year prison term and a 210 million ringgit ($46.84 million) fine despite entering a not-guilty plea. Najib’s appeals were unanimously denied by the court, and the conviction from the lower courts was upheld, according to Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
“The defence is so inherently inconsistent and incredible that it has not raised reasonable doubt on the case. We also find that the sentence imposed is not manifestly excessive,” she said. The verdict was being read while Najib was seated in the dock. Rosmah Mansor, his wife, and their three kids were seated behind him.
Najib’s last-ditch attempt to delay the decision by asking that the chief justice be removed from the panel had earlier been denied by the court. Speaking to the court just before the final decision was made, Najib claimed to be the victim of an injustice and asked for an additional two months so that his new attorneys could prepare for his appeal.
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“It’s the worst feeling to have to realize that the might of the judiciary is pinned against me in the most unfair manner,” Najib told the court. An estimated $4.5 billion, according to the prosecution, was taken from 1MDB, which Najib helped found in 2009, during his first year as prime minister. According to investigators, they were able to link accounts connected to Najib with more than $1 billion from 1MDB.
Malaysian Ex-Prime Minister Najib Loses Appeal, Begins 12-Years Sentence – The extensive scandal led the U.S. Department of Justice to launch what would become its largest kleptocracy investigation, including international politicians and financial organizations. Najib has continuously disputed the accusations despite the fact that he is facing many trials.
