A Malaysian court on Friday found former Prime Minister Najib Razak guilty of multiple counts of abuse of power and money laundering over the looting of billions of ringgit from the troubled 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund.
Presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah convicted the 72-year-old on all four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering, involving about 2.28 billion ringgit (approximately $554 million). Sentencing was expected later in the day and could add several years to the six-year prison term Najib is already serving in a separate 1MDB-related case.
Najib, who appeared in court wearing a navy blue suit and white shirt, sat slumped as the verdict was delivered. Once one of Malaysia’s most powerful politicians and the son of a national founding figure, his conviction marks another chapter in a dramatic fall from power triggered by public outrage over corruption.
In delivering judgment, Justice Sequerah rejected the defence’s claim that Najib had been deceived by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, popularly known as Jho Low. The judge ruled that evidence showed Low acted as Najib’s proxy in managing the affairs of 1MDB.
“The argument that the accused was misled and duped by management and by Jho Low is unmeritorious,” the judge said, adding that the relationship between the two men demonstrated clear coordination rather than coincidence.
Prosecutors told the court that Najib abused his positions as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB’s advisory board to channel vast sums of money into his personal bank accounts. Investigators said the stolen funds were used to finance luxury properties, a superyacht and valuable artworks.
The court also dismissed claims that the money deposited into Najib’s accounts came from Middle Eastern donors, with the judge describing the explanation as fanciful. The prosecution relied on extensive bank records, documentary evidence and testimony from more than 50 witnesses to secure the conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told the court that Najib was not a victim of subordinates but the central figure in the scheme, wielding enormous political and financial authority.
Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting he was unaware of illegal transfers from the fund. His lawyers have maintained that he did not receive a fair trial and have continued to blame Jho Low, who remains at large.
Launched in 2009 under Najib’s administration, 1MDB was intended to drive national development but became the centre of one of the world’s largest financial scandals. Investigators estimate that more than $4.5 billion was siphoned from the fund between 2009 and 2015, prompting investigations across several countries and badly damaging Malaysia’s international reputation.
Earlier this week, Najib suffered another legal setback after losing a bid to serve the remainder of his current sentence under house arrest. Under Malaysian law, each abuse-of-power conviction carries a potential jail term of up to 20 years, along with heavy financial penalties.
