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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, suspected of embezzling public funds of several million euros, was formally charged on Wednesday with the financial scandal that contributed to his downfall. He is the first former head of government of the country of Southeast Asia to be brought to justice.
Najib, who appeared in a court in the capital Kuala Lumpur, faces four counts: three for abuse of power and one for pbadive bribery, involving a bribe of $ 42 million. ringgit (8.9 million euros). can be imprisoned up to 20 years.
The 64-year-old former prime minister was arrested on Tuesday as the administration of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad intensified his investigation into corruption during his predecessor's tenure. After payment of the deposit, he was released. The indictment is scheduled for February 2019.
The allegations concern the company SRC International, a branch of the energy sector of 1MDB, the sovereign fund created by Najib in 2009 and which currently has a debt of 10 billion euros.
The case contributed largely to the May legislative defeat of the coalition, then led by Najib, who led the country 61 years ago.
While he was in power, Najib prevented any investigation of the scandal, ousting government criticism of the case, shutting down the press or ordering the arrest of those who spoke about it.
The former prime minister allegedly embezzled up to 640 million euros from the fund, which he created to modernize Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia. 32 million inhabitants, mostly Muslim. He denies the charges. The 1MDB case is under investigation in several countries, including Switzerland and the United States. "Najib is the first (prime) prime minister to be accused in the history of Malaysia," said Tian Chua, party vice president Keadilan Rakyat, a member of the coalition that came to power in parliamentary elections. from May.
"This marks a new era in which no official will be exempted from prosecution if he commits an abuse of authority."
In a statement released Tuesday night, Najib's relatives said the allegations against the former prime minister were "politically motivated" and "the result of political revenge" of Mahathir.
Last week, the director of the police department for financial crimes, Amar Singh, revealed that the total value of property seized in the investigation against Najib was nearly 273 million dollars.
The goods include $ 28.8 million in cash, 26 coins, nearly 12,000 jewels, hundreds of branded handbags and 423 watches.
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