Malaysia top court of rules and regulations upholds ex-PM Najib's graft conviction

Malaysia top court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations upholds ex-PM Najib's graft conviction

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak lost his final appeal on Tuesday inside a graft instance linked to the looting of the 1MDB condition fund, accompanied by the top court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations unanimously upholding his declaration of guilt accompanied by every one one other accompanied by 12-year prison sentence.

The mislaying means Najib will have to begin serving his judgement immediately, becoming the earliest former main minister to exist jailed. He left-hand the courthouse following the verdict accompanied by every one one other accompanied by was reportedly taken to prison.

The five-member Federal Court panel said it found the High Court judge was fair inside his discernment accompanied by every one one other accompanied by that Najib's appeal was "devoid of some merits."

"This is a simple accompanied by every one one other accompanied by straightforward instance of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust accompanied by every one one other accompanied by money laundering," said Chief Justice Maimun Tuan Mat, who read not here the verdict.

"We are unable to complete that some of the findings of the High Court, while affirmed by the Court of Appeal, were perverse or plainly incorrect so while to warrant appellate intervention. We concur that the defence is so inherently inconsistent accompanied by every one one other accompanied by incredible that it does not lift a reasonable uncertainty on the prosecution case," she said.

The court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations ordered Najib to begin his hour dated behind bars. He excessively must pay a 210 million ringgit ($47 million) fine.

1MDB was a evolution fund that Najib place up inside a short hour dated following taking ability inside 2009. Investigators allege at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund accompanied by every one one other accompanied by laundered by Najib's associates. Najib was found culpable inside 2020 of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust accompanied by every one one other accompanied by money laundering for illegally receiving $9.4 million from SRC International, a former part of 1MDB.

Najib, 69, has maintained he is guiltless accompanied by every one one other accompanied by had been not here on bail pending his appeals. Just earlier to the court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations delivered its verdict, he stood up inside the dock to build a statement protesting the top court's series of refusals last week to postpone the appeal hearings.

Najib said he felt he was "unfairly treated" accompanied by every one one other accompanied by that his instance has been rushed through. He pointed not here that a leaked verdict by the Federal Court had been posted on a website accompanied by every one one other accompanied by said if this was true, it would exist the a "judicial misconduct of the highest order."

But Maimun said the appeal hearings had ended since Najib's newly appointed lawyers refused to build some new arguments inside objection of not actuality specified additional hour dated to prepare.

Najib appeared inside shock following the verdict was read. He was unswerving away surrounded by his family accompanied by every one one other accompanied by supporters.

"This is a famous little while for Malaysia, where the most older leader has actually now faced an unprecedented little while of political accountability," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert at Malaysia's Nottingham University. "For this decision, which is the earliest of numerous cases involving this specific scandal, to go inside this specific way really is a testimony to the regulation of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations inside Malaysia, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the strengthening of the demands for the regulation of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations inside Malaysia."

Earlier Tuesday, Najib sought to remove Maimun from the case, citing possible bias since her husband had made a negative Facebook posting concerning Najib's leadership inside a short hour dated following his ouster inside 2018 general elections. But the judges dismissed Najib's application.

The Federal Court last week excessively dismissed a provide by Najib to seek a retrial on grounds of bias by the High Court judge, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by refused to postpone the appeal to inside attendance accompanied by his new lawyers additional hour dated to prepare. The court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations excessively denied a appeal by Najib's new legal practitioner to withdraw from the case.

Maimun, Malaysia's earliest feminine leader justice who was appointed inside 2019, has go nearer under assault on communal media from Najib's supporters. Police arrested a male over the weekend inside link accompanied by demise threats made opposed to Maimun. Hundreds of Najib's supporters gathered outer external outside the court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations inside a show of support.

The prison word will cement Najib's permit let fall from grace. The British-educated Najib was born into Malaysia's political elite. His father was the country's following main minister accompanied by every one one other accompanied by his uncle was the third.

He was thrust into management inside 1976 following his father died, becoming Malaysia's youngest lawmaker at number of years 22, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the youngest at some hour dated deputy minister place of set of two years later. He became main minister inside 2009 while a reformer nevertheless his word was tainted by the 1MDB outrageous wrongdoing that sparked investigations inside the U.S. accompanied by every one one other accompanied by some other countries accompanied by every one one other accompanied by caused his government's downfall.

Najib faces a total of 42 charges inside five separate trials linked to 1MDB, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by his spouse is excessively on trial on corruption charges.

Najib, who has a strong communal media following, remains politically influential. His United Malays National Organization leads the contemporaneous management following defections of lawmakers caused the collapse of the reformist management that won the 2018 polls.

Malaysia top court of rules and regulations of rules with every one other accompanied by regulations upholds ex-PM Najib's graft conviction