Malaysia's highest court decided on Tuesday August 16 to examine a final appeal by former Prime Minister Najib Razak, sentenced to 12 years in prison and whose possible acquittal would pave the way for a return to power.
Najib Razak had been sentenced to 12 years in prison and a fine of 210 million ringgits (42 million euros) in the 1MDB case, a multi-billion dollar fraud with global ramifications.
Return to politics
The Federal Court on Tuesday refused a new trial as requested by Najib Razak but agreed to consider a final appeal, which will begin on Thursday.
The decisions of the Federal Court are final.
Malaysian anger over the looting of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which is supposed to help Malaysia's economic development, played a big role in the surprise election defeat in 2018 of the coalition led by Najib Razak, who led the government. since 2009.
The former prime minister, a 67-year-old charismatic leader, sentenced in July 2020, had already appealed, but a court confirmed his sentence in December 2021.
Najib Razak, who is still an MP, is currently free on bail and has always maintained his innocence.
If the conviction is upheld, he will begin serving his prison sentence immediately, the lawyers said.
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An acquittal, however, would allow him to return to politics and attempt to regain his former position, in a country where he remains popular.
“
I am shocked and bitterly disappointed with the judges
' decision,” Najib Razak told reporters after the court ruling.
“
I hope that in this ultimate appeal, we will be able to bring out the truth in this case
”.
