Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib faces six other corruption charges for public funds

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been charged with six counts of breach of trust involving public funds of a value of more than 1.5. Billion dollars (1.16 billion pounds) on Thursday, which adds to the 32 counts already blamed. .

His former chief of the Treasury, Irwan Serigar Abdullah, has also been charged with breach of trust on the part of a criminal. He has become the highest official to be charged since Najib was unexpectedly ousted at a general election in May.

Both pleaded not guilty to all charges. Each charge is punishable by up to 20 years' imprisonment, a fine and a flogging sentence, but Najib and Irwan would be exempt from flogging at the age of 50 years.

"There is nothing in the charges to show that any of the acts that I committed bring me any benefit," Najib told a news conference after the hearing.

"There should be no belief that any of the funds mentioned in the charges were lost, or that there were elements of personal interest."

The new government headed by Mahathir Mohamad is attacking corruption and laying charges against several former top officials, including the former Najib MP.

Special attention is paid to the loss of billions of dollars from the public fund 1Malaysian Development Berhad (1MDB), founded by Najib in 2009.

Four of the six charges filed Thursday involving about 4.78 billion ringgits (887.6 million pounds) relate to an agreement reached between 1MDB and IPIC, Abu Dhabi's public fund. said Azam Baki, deputy commissioner at the anti-corruption agency.

In 2017, 1MDB had agreed to pay $ 1.2 billion to the Abu Dhabi fund, as part of a settlement as a result of a dispute between the two over the payment of $ 1.2 billion. obligations, according to the companies.

The charges related to 1MDB allege that Irwan and Najib committed the breach of trust with 220 million ringgits of government funds destined for the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 1,3 billion ringgits earmarked for a grant and cash grant program and 3.3 billion ringgit of other public funds.

Najib's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said his client did not personally benefit from these transactions.

"These were funds that were originally earmarked for a specific purpose, but which were reviewed as a matter of priority, given the urgency and the critical situation in which the country was located. For the purpose of resolving the IPIC issue, an executive decision had to be made very honestly, "Shafee told the court.

He added that the other two charges related to a US $ 14 billion gas pipeline project and the $ 14 billion East Cost Railway Link (ECRL), which was the centerpiece of China's oil and gas strategy. infrastructure in Malaysia.

The project, signed under Najib's prime minister, was suspended by Mahathir who said the deal was "unfair" for Malaysia.

AMOUNT OF LEASE

The judge released Najib and Irwan after setting a bail of 1 million ringgits each.

Prosecutors had previously requested a bail of 3 million ringgits for Najib, but former prime minister's attorneys said it had become difficult for Najib to settle his bail after paying a bail of 4, 5 million ringgits since July.

"I would like to ask my client to have a period of at least three weeks for the settlement of the surety of one million because it has become very difficult for my client, even before and in the last case, "Shafee said, adding that Najib's bank accounts were still open. frozen.

The judge ordered that the bond be paid in 10 days.

Najib is already facing 32 counts of money laundering, bribery and breach of trust for 1MDB related transactions. He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled to open next year.

His wife, Rosmah Mansor, was charged with money laundering earlier this month and had to pay bail of 2 million ringgits.

US authorities allege that $ 4.5 billion was diverted from 1MDB and about $ 700 million diverted into Najib's personal bank accounts.