Malaysian court drops money laundering charges against jailed ex-leader Najib Razak

3 weeks ago 6
FILE - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives astatine  the Kuala Lumpur High Court analyzable  escorted by situation  officers successful  Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 4, 2024.FILE - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives astatine the Kuala Lumpur High Court analyzable escorted by situation officers successful Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 4, 2024. Photo by Vincent Thian /AP

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian tribunal dropped 3 wealth laundering charges against jailed erstwhile Prime Minister Najib Razak connected Friday, successful a lawsuit linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of a authorities fund.

Financial Post

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Najib was antecedently convicted successful a graft lawsuit tied to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad authorities fund, oregon 1MBD, and began serving clip successful 2022, aft losing his last appeal. He besides faces different graft trials.

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The High Court’s determination to driblet the charges alleging Najib received 27 cardinal ringgit ($6.3 million) successful amerciable proceeds to his slope accounts came aft procedural delays by the prosecution, which saw the lawsuit dragging connected for six years, Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said. Prosecutors could not springiness the tribunal a timeline for erstwhile they volition beryllium acceptable for the trial, helium added.

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Prosecutors reserve the close to revive charges against Najib and a discharge does not mean an acquittal, Shafee said. But, Najib was blessed and tin present absorption connected the main 1MDB trial, helium added.

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Najib acceptable up 1MDB soon aft taking powerfulness successful 2009. Investigators allege that much than $4.5 cardinal was stolen from the money and laundered by his associates to concern Hollywood films and extravagant purchases. The ungraded upended Najib’s authorities and helium was defeated successful the 2018 election.

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Last November, the High Court besides discharged Najib and the erstwhile treasury main successful different 1MDB-linked corruption lawsuit aft repeated delays by the prosecution. The brace tin inactive beryllium charged for the aforesaid offence successful the future. In 2023, Najib was acquitted connected abstracted charges of tampering with a authorities audit into 1MDB.

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Najib was sentenced to 12 years successful jailhouse successful his archetypal graft proceedings but the condemnation was halved by the Pardon Boards successful 2024. Najib alleged the committee had issued a location apprehension bid for him to implicit his condemnation astatine home, but the lawsuit is inactive being heard successful court.

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Najib awaits his verdict successful different cardinal lawsuit that ties him straight to the 1MDB scandal, which has prompted investigations successful the U.S. and respective different countries.

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The defence successful May closed their lawsuit connected 4 charges of maltreatment of powerfulness to get implicit $700 cardinal from 1MDB that went into Najib’s slope accounts, and 21 counts of wealth laundering involving the aforesaid amount. Closing arguments are scheduled successful October, aft which the tribunal volition acceptable a day for verdict.

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