Malaysian court dismisses former leader’s bid to delay graft sentence

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday lost a bid to delay the enforcement of a 15-year jail sentence for corruption.

Najib, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2022 in a corruption case linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund that outraged the nation and caused the downfall of his long-ruling party.

Last year he was convicted and sentenced to another 15 years and fined 11.4 billion ringgit ($2.8 billion) in a second, bigger graft trial tied to the 1MDB fund. He was found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering related to over $700 million channeled into his bank accounts from the fund. That sentence was due to take effect after he completes his current sentence in August 2028.

The High Court on Wednesday dismissed his application to postpone the enforcement of his second sentence, saying there was no merit. Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said they would challenge the decision in a higher court.

Najib set up the 1MDB development fund shortly after taking office in 2009. Investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries.

After his government was ousted in a historic election in 2018, Najib was taken to court to face multiple graft charges over the 1MDB scandal.

He was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 210 million ringgit ($51.5 million) in 2020 for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) channeled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. He went to prison after the country’s top court upheld his conviction in 2022.

Najib has apologized for mishandling the scandal but denied any wrongdoing, alleging he was misled by rogue bankers.

In January 2024, the Pardons Board chaired by the then-king halved his sentence to six years and reduced his fine to 50 million ringgit ($12 million).

He is appealing his conviction in the second case at a higher court.

Last month, Malaysia’s current king Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted a “conditional pardon” for Najib. He will be allowed to serve the remainder of his first prison term under house arrest until Aug. 23, 2028, if he pays the 50 million ringgit fine imposed by the court.

Najib’s lawyers have said he wasn’t able to pay as his bank accounts and assets have been frozen by the government. Shafee said funds are being raised, and that once the house arrest ends Najib will be sent back to prison if they fail to obtain a suspension of the second sentence by then.

Despite his conviction, Najib still holds clout in his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is now part of Anwar’s unity government that took power after the 2022 elections.