Malaysian Court Drops Charges Against Najib Razak in 1MDB Case

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Nov 27 – A Malaysian court on Wednesday dropped charges against former Prime Minister Najib Razak over criminal breach of trust related to the multibillion-dollar embezzlement of funds from the state-owned investment fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Najib, who is already serving a prison sentence following his conviction in the high-profile 1MDB corruption scandal, had been facing additional charges in this case, which involved the alleged misappropriation of 6.6 billion ringgit (about $1.5 billion). This sum was intended to be part of a settlement payment to Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), but the funds were allegedly misused.

In a ruling from the Kuala Lumpur High Court, charges against Najib and his co-defendant, former treasury chief Irwan Serigar Abdullah, were dropped. The court’s decision was based on procedural delays and the prosecution’s failure to provide critical documents, which the defense argued had unfairly hindered their ability to prepare a proper defense. Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Farhan, explained that the decision to discharge the charges came after the court acknowledged the importance of these undisclosed documents, which were relevant to the defense’s case. However, the discharge does not equate to an acquittal, as prosecutors retain the right to reintroduce the charges at a later date.

“This decision was based on the non-disclosure of critical documents, six years after the initial charges were brought up,” Farhan said, adding that the court correctly exercised its jurisdiction by discharging Najib from the charges.

Najib, who established 1MDB shortly after taking office in 2009, is at the center of a global investigation into the alleged theft of more than $4.5 billion from the fund. Investigators claim that the stolen funds were funneled through a network of associates and used to finance luxury purchases, including Hollywood films. The scandal severely damaged Najib’s political career, leading to his defeat in the 2018 general election.

Although Najib, 71, was convicted in his first 1MDB-related case and began serving his sentence in 2022, he still faces multiple other trials linked to the scandal. In October, he issued a rare public apology for the 1MDB scandal, acknowledging it occurred “under his watch,” but reiterated his innocence.

Recently, Najib was ordered to enter his defense in another significant case tied directly to the 1MDB scandal, where he faces charges of abuse of power and money laundering involving more than $700 million that was allegedly funneled into his personal accounts between 2011 and 2014. In addition to these ongoing cases, Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, along with other senior government officials, also faces corruption-related charges.

Despite the recent discharge of charges in this particular case, Najib’s legal battles are far from over, with multiple trials still pending. His case remains one of the most closely watched in Malaysia, as it continues to unfold against the backdrop of the country’s complex political landscape.