PUTRAJAYA – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was found guilty by the High Court on Friday of four charges of abusing his position to commit corruption involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds amounting to RM2.3 billion between 2011 and 2014.
Trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now a Federal Court judge), who was presiding at the Palace of Justice here, delivered the decision after finding that the defence representing Najib, 72, had failed to raise reasonable doubt at the close of the defence’s case.
In reading out the decision, which began at 9.13am and resumed after Friday prayers at 3.02pm, the judge stated that he was satisfied that all four charges were clear and did not overlap with one another.
“I find that the prosecution has proven its case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt in respect of the first, second, third and fourth charges under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act. I therefore convict the accused on all charges,” he said.
Najib, 72, faces four charges of using his position to obtain RM2.3 billion in bribes from 1MDB funds through the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch on Jalan Raja Chulan between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.
These charges were brought under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, which carries up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of either five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.