Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was today found guilty by the High Court on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving nearly RM2.2 billion in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, the Federal Court judge who previously presided over Najib’s High Court trial, delivered the verdict after reading a detailed judgment lasting nearly four and a half hours. The trial itself spanned more than 300 days over six years, with the prosecution proving its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Najib, 72, was convicted of using his positions as prime minister, finance minister, and chairman of 1MDB’s board of advisers to secure RM2.22 billion in financial benefits for himself. He was also found guilty on 21 counts of laundering illicit funds through his personal AmIslamic Bank account.
The court will proceed to sentence Najib, with the former prime minister facing imprisonment and significant fines. However, the convictions will not affect his current imprisonment, as he is already serving a six-year sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a term that will conclude in August 2028 or 2029, depending on whether he pays the RM50 million fine imposed in that case.
