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Malaysian Court Refuses to Review Ex-Prime Minister's Conviction


FILE - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, wearing a face mask arrives at Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Aug. 16, 2022.
FILE - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, wearing a face mask arrives at Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Aug. 16, 2022.

Malaysia’s top court said Friday it will not review its 2022 graft conviction of former Prime Minister Najib Razak on charges stemming from the multi-billion-dollar scandal at state fund 1 Malaysia Development Berhad or 1MDB.

Najib’s legal maneuvering on Friday was his last legal recourse, but he has, however, applied for a royal pardon, which, if granted, would have him out of prison without serving his full 12-year term.

Najib’s legal woes began after investigators discovered that $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, during Najib’s first year in office, with more than $1 billion going to accounts linked to him. Najib is the co-founder of 1MDB.

Najib was found guilty in 2020 of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering for illegally receiving about $10 million from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. He lost all his appeals.

Some material in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.

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