Najib’s lawyer says judge 'made so many blunders’, will appeal 1MDB conviction

Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak is set to appeal his recent conviction over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

Najib was found guilty of abuse of power on Dec. 26, in a case involving the alleged misappropriation of about RM2.3 billion (S$727 million) in funds linked to 1MDB, the state investment firm.

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah sentenced Najib to 15 years' jail for each abuse of power charge, and five years' jail for each money laundering charge, The Star reported.

The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning Najib will have to serve 15 years after the conclusion of his current six-year prison term for a separate case.

In a press conference on Dec. 26, his legal team said they believe the High Court made numerous errors during the trial.

“We think the judge made so many blunders," said lawyer Shafee Abdullah, who is representing Najib in the 1MDB case.

Shafee confirmed that his team will appeal the decision on Dec. 29 in the higher courts in hopes of overturning or reducing the conviction.

“While we are disappointed, we are more agitated, not in a bad way, but to do better in the appeal," he said.

Najib, who served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 2009 to 2018, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the 1MDB funds.

Najib was found guilty in 2020 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for misappropriating 1MDB funds.

His sentence was later commuted to six years.

Najib's current prison term ends in August 2028.

Top image via The Star and Reuters