Malaysia drops 1MDB-linked charges against former Prime Minister Najib, Treasury official

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian court on Wednesday (Nov 27) allowed the dropping of corruption charges related to the multi-billion 1MDB scandal brought against jailed former prime minister Najib Razak and former treasury chief, their lawyers said.

Najib and former Treasury Secretary-General Irwan Serigar Abdullah were charged in 2018 with six counts of criminal breach of trust relating to government funds worth 6.6 billion ringgit ($1.48 billion), which officials said were related to a settlement between 1MDB and the Abu Dhabi state government International Petroleum Investment Company fund.

The couple has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court granted their request for an acquittal, which does not amount to an acquittal, due to procedural delays and the prosecutor’s failure to disclose key documents, his lawyers said.

“The court properly exercised its jurisdiction to exonerate our client in accordance with the law,” Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee said in a text message.

A not guilty acquittal means that the prosecutor’s office will not prosecute the defendant for the crime for now, but may do so in the future.

The judge said the court’s decision did not “prejudge” the prosecution as it could bring charges against Najib and Irwan.

“The case was registered in 2018, but the trial cannot proceed despite multiple hearing dates being set. This is an excessive delay,” he said.

According to The Star, Najib sought a permanent suspension of the proceedings in this case.

The judge dismissed the decision due to the lack of a formal request from the former prime minister’s top adviser.