Malaysian court sentences ex-PM Najib Razak to fifteen years

(MENAFN) A Malaysian court on Friday sentenced ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak to 15 years in prison and imposed a fine of 11.3 billion ringgits (approximately $2.7 billion) following his conviction on multiple charges of abuse of power and money laundering.

The ruling concerns 2.3 billion ringgits ($568 million) linked to the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). High Court Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered that Najib’s new prison term would begin in 2028, after he completes a six-year sentence related to the SRC International case, a subsidiary of 1MDB.

Najib, 72, has faced a series of trials tied to the 1MDB scandal, in which Malaysian and US authorities allege roughly $4.5 billion was embezzled from the fund between 2009 and 2014. He was previously found guilty in 2020 of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power for illegally receiving misappropriated funds from 1MDB.

Najib served as Malaysia’s prime minister for two terms starting in 2009 and is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison in Selangor province. Last year, the Malaysian monarchy halved his 12-year sentence through a royal pardon. In July, Najib’s request to serve the remainder of his term under house arrest was denied.

MENAFN27122025000045017640ID1110528736