First ruling due in 1MDB corruption case against Malaysian former PM
Bangkok, Jul 27 (efe-epa).- The first ruling in the 1MDB corruption case against former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is due to be made on Tuesday.
The 67-year-old is accused of involvement in a multi-billion-dollar corruption scheme through the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Najib, currently on bail, is scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
The resolution of the first case, which could still be appealed by both parties, will be closely followed by national and international media but there will be strict restrictions on who can attend the hearing due to the pandemic.
Najib faces a total of 42 charges relating to allegations that his associates diverted $4.5 billion into private accounts from the investment arm of the Malaysian state.
The scandal led to his fall from power in 2018.
The illegal funds were allegedly used to buy real estate, luxurious items and to finance Leonardo DiCaprio’s hit movie The Wolf of Wall Street.
The former president, who ruled the country from 2009 to 2018, denies all the charges and says he was deceived by Malaysian businessman Jho Low, who is on the run.
According to Najib, Low told him the income in the politician’s account came from the former king of Saudi Arabia.
The first trial, which started in April last year, centers on three transfers totaling almost $10 million from SRC International, a subsidiary of 1MDB, into Najib’s private accounts.
