Overview
- Najib Razak was convicted on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering tied to roughly 2.2–2.3 billion ringgit diverted from 1MDB.
- Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah rejected Najib’s claim of Saudi donations as uncorroborated and likely forged, noting an 'unmistakable bond' with fugitive financier Jho Low.
- The court imposed a 15-year term with sentences running concurrently, ordered a 13.5 billion ringgit (about $2.8 billion) fine, and directed the new term to begin after his current sentence.
- Prosecutors presented bank records and testimony from more than 50 witnesses, with the court calling the evidence 'cold, hard and incontrovertible.'
- The verdict follows this week’s rejection of Najib’s house-arrest bid, could strain the Anwar Ibrahim-led coalition that includes UMNO, and will be appealed by Najib’s lawyers.