Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal challenging the High Court’s ruling that sentenced him to 15 years in prison and imposed an RM11.4 billion fine in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.
Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, confirmed the notice was filed on the evening of December 29, a fact later verified by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib.
The appeal targets the December 27 verdict by Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, which found Najib guilty of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3 billion from the sovereign wealth fund.
For the abuse of power charges, the court imposed 15 years’ imprisonment per count and a total fine of RM11.4 billion, or 40 years’ imprisonment in default. On the money laundering charges, Najib was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment per count, with no additional fines. All sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in an effective custodial term of 15 years.
