A five-judge federal court panel said it unanimously found Najib’s appeal “lacking any merit”, capping a stunning downfall for the 69-year-old, who became the first former Malaysian prime minister to be jailed. Najib reportedly appeared shocked when the verdict was read in court. He was later photographed driving away in a black car. Nur’s daughter-in-law Sharmila Shaheen told AFP the family had been told he had been sent to Kajang prison, south of the capital, Kuala Lumpur. University of Tasmania Asian Studies professor James Chin said the verdict marked a victory for the Malaysian public and the judiciary. “Before this, many people in Malaysia will tell you that when it comes to political cases, you can never be sure which way the wind is blowing in the courts. Now it is clear that the courts are quite impartial,” he said. The court had shown it was “even willing to break the ultimate taboo in Southeast Asia” by convicting a powerful political heavyweight. Najib had denied any wrongdoing in relation to the scandal that hit 1MDB, or 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund set up to promote development. It is estimated that billions of dollars had been siphoned from the treasury. The scandal toppled Najib’s government and sparked investigations around the world, including in Singapore, Switzerland and the US. In July 2020, Najib was found guilty of breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering for illegally receiving around $10 million of £8.5 million from SRC International, a former unit of sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Najib, who had pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 210 million ringgit (£40 million). Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Judge Maimun Tuan Mat, who upheld the verdict on Tuesday, said the defense was “so inherently inconsistent and implausible that it does not raise reasonable doubt about the prosecution’s case”. During his appeal, which began last week, Najib claimed his right to a fair trial was undermined. On Tuesday, she tried to remove the chief justice, Maimun Tuan Mat, from the case, saying her husband had criticized him in the past on social media and that this could lead to bias. In his affidavit read in court by his lawyer, Najib said Maimoun’s husband’s comments were “particularly concerning” as they may have influenced her opinion on the case. The court’s findings may be seen as “tainted with bias and public perception of the independence of the judiciary will be in doubt”, Najib said in his application. Najib, who replaced his legal team just weeks before the start of his appeal, also claimed his right to a fair trial was at risk because the court had rejected his requests to postpone the hearings to give his new representatives time to prepare. The court also rejected his bid to introduce new evidence that could lead to a retrial on allegations of bias by the high court judge who convicted him in 2020. Najib faces five separate trials related to 1MDB. His wife, Rosmah Mansor, is also on trial for corruption. Investigators said about $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB and that more than $1 billion went to accounts linked to Najib. US lawsuits allege stolen money was used by various recipients, including fugitive businessman Jho Low, to fund luxury shopping, real estate, a Picasso painting, a private jet, a superyacht, hotels and jewelry. If the court overturned the earlier verdict, Najib, who remains popular in the Umno party, would push to become prime minister again, Chin said. However, a conviction prevents him from standing, meaning his political career is over, at least for the short term. However, Chin added a loophole that may offer a path back into politics: “If you get one [royal] sorry, it means your slate will be wiped clean.”
