Verdict on ex-Malay PM’s 1st case set for July

Kuala Lumpur, June 5 (IANS) The verdict on a case against former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak related to SRC International, a former unit of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), will be delivered on July 28, a court said on Friday.

The verdict will be the first of several corruption trials against Najib in the multi-million-dollar scandal, reports Xinhua news agency.

Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled that he will deliver his verdict next month following the close of final submissions.

The case involves 42 million ringgits ($10.3 million) deposited into Najib’s personal bank account from SRC International, in which the former leader faces seven charges including criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power.

The trial has lasted for 94 days with final submissions being read since Monday and ending on Friday afternoon.

For each offence, the 66-year-old could be jailed for up to 20 years, except for the money laundering charges in which he could be jailed for up to 15 years.

In the closing submission this week, the defence argued that Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, SRC International’s board of directors, and bankers had misled Najib on the source of the fund into his account.

The prosecution countered that Najib had full control and dominion over SRC International’s affairs.

Najib has been slapped with dozens of charges for corruption, money laundering, power abuse and criminal breach of trust involving billions of ringgit after his ruling coalition lost power during the national polls in May 2018.

–IANS

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