Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian court has made a significant decision to discharge former Prime Minister Najib Razak from multiple corruption charges related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, involving 6.6 billion ringgit ($1.48 billion) of government funds. This development marks a pivotal moment in Najib’s ongoing legal battles, where he is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for a separate corruption conviction.
According to Anadolu Agency, the court’s decision allows Najib and former Treasury Secretary Irwan Serigar Abdullah to receive a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) for all six charges they faced in the trial. Importantly, this DNAA enables the prosecution to potentially re-charge the accused on the same grounds at a future date. This outcome comes as Najib, who established the 1MDB fund in 2009 to stimulate economic growth, seeks to spend the remaining four years of his sentence at home.
Najib’s legal challenges are far from over, as he faces multiple trials linked t
o the 1MDB scandal. Authorities in both Malaysia and the United States allege that around $4.5 billion was embezzled from the fund between 2009 and 2014, forming part of a broader international scheme. In July, Najib and Irwan Serigar filed separate requests for a DNAA, citing the prosecution’s delay in providing crucial documents to the defense as a hindrance to building their case.
The charges against Najib and Irwan Serigar, filed in October 2018, fall under Section 409 of the Penal Code, in conjunction with Section 34 of the same code. These charges carry severe penalties, including a maximum of 20 years in prison, whipping, and fines upon conviction. Currently, Najib is serving his sentence in Kajang Prison, located in Selangor province, following a royal pardon earlier this year that reduced his original 12-year sentence by half.