Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak lost the money laundering case and was sentenced to 15 years in prison

Malaysia's High Court on Friday (December 26) delivered its verdict in the long-running 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case against former Prime Minister Najib Razak, finding him guilty of abuse of power and money laundering. Najib Razak, who served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, was found guilty by the court on four charges of abuse of power and twenty-one charges of money laundering for illicitly misappropriating 2.2 billion ringgit (US$544.6 million) from 1MDB, a state-owned investment fund.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who presided over the case, announced that Najib Razak was guilty on all 25 charges filed against him, sentencing him to 15 years in prison for each charge of abuse of power and 5 years for each charge of money laundering. In addition, a massive fine of 11.38 billion ringgit (US$2.8 billion) was imposed for the abuse of power charges, with the judge stating that if the fine is not paid, an additional 10 years in prison would be served for each charge. A fine of 2.1 billion ringgit, equivalent to the value of the untraceable or spent illicit funds for the 21 money laundering charges, was also imposed. The court ordered that all these prison sentences would run concurrently and would commence after he completes his current prison term.

During the nearly 12-hour trial, the judge took almost five hours to deliver his verdict, stating that these crimes occurred between 2011 and 2014. The judge rejected Najib Razak's argument that the charges against him were political persecution, emphasizing that evidence confirmed he had abused his power and position at 1MDB. While the defendant admitted that the relevant funds were received into his bank accounts, Judge Sequerah pointed out that the defense's claims that these were received as overdraft facilities or donations collapsed in the face of the prosecution's evidence.

The judge stated that funds were transferred to Najib's personal account via Tanore Finance Corporation, following the "Layering" method, commonly used in money laundering to conceal the origin of funds, and then sent back to Tanore. It was revealed in court that Najib Razak had a very close relationship with Jho Low, considered the mastermind of this fraud, and that the two had even engaged in yacht trips together. The judge said that evidence clearly showed Jho Low was not merely an intermediary but an agent of Najib, directing 1MDB's affairs.

The court also rejected the defense's "Arab donation" argument, which claimed the funds were a political donation from the Saudi royal family, concluding that the documents presented in support were forged. The judge pointed out that the defense failed to provide any credible documentation to prove that such a large sum was received from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia or any other royal member. This case, where charges were first filed in September 2018, was heard over six years for 302 days, and after the verdict was announced, Najib Razak's lawyer, Shafee Abdullah, submitted a request for a lighter sentence.

In presenting the request for a lighter sentence, the lawyer stated that his client is currently studying for a PhD in Malaysia's economic transformation while in prison and suffers from health issues such as knee-related ailments and high blood pressure. However, the prosecution argued for a severe sentence, emphasizing that the maximum penalty should be imposed for such serious frauds committed by high-ranking public officials, serving as a lesson to others. In a statement issued after the verdict, Najib Razak said he would continue to fight through legal channels and expressed confidence in the judicial process, urging his supporters to remain calm.

Najib Razak, currently 72 years old, is already serving a six-year prison sentence in connection with another case related to SRC International, and his request to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest was rejected by the court four days before this verdict. On the day the verdict was announced, many of Najib Razak's supporters gathered at the court premises to greet him, cheering and referring to him by his nickname "Bossku". His lawyer has stated that the defense is prepared to file an appeal against this verdict.