Malaysian Court Drops 1MDB-Linked Charges Against Najib Razak and Treasury Official

The court cited prolonged delays in proceedings but left the door open for potential recharges in the future.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and former treasury official Irwan Serigar Abdullah were discharged from six criminal breach of trust charges related to the 1MDB scandal.
The charges involved the alleged misappropriation of RM6.6 billion (US$1.48 billion) in government funds tied to a settlement with Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the case had faced excessive delays since its registration in 2018, preventing the trial from proceeding as planned.
The discharge does not amount to an acquittal, meaning the prosecution retains the option to recharge the accused at a later date.
Najib is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for a separate corruption conviction linked to the 1MDB scandal and is reportedly seeking to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest.