Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s new prison lodgings may be less than an hour’s drive from his mansion in Kuala Lumpur’s affluent Bukit Tunku neighborhood, but it is a world away from the luxury he is used to.
Najib lost his final appeal on a 12-year jail sentence for corruption on Tuesday and was taken under heavy security to the country’s largest jailhouse in Kajang — a sprawling complex southeast of the capital that holds up to 5,000 prisoners and includes a women’s facility.
First convicted in July 2020, Najib had been out on bail pending appeals. The country’s top court upheld his guilty verdict over criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering charges for illegally receiving about $10 million from a former unit of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The son of Malaysia’s second prime minister, Najib held the premiership from 2009 to 2018, when public anger over the multi-billion dollar graft scandal at 1MDB brought election defeat.
Malaysian investigators say they traced more than $1 billion to Najib’s bank accounts, but he has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The opulent lifestyle of Najib and his family came to light with the discovery of about $275 million worth of cash, jewelry, and other luxury goods in residences used by Najib and his family.
Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, has pleaded not guilty in a corruption case unrelated to 1MDB. The court is set to deliver its verdict in her trial on Sept. 1.
Najib lost his final appeal on a 12-year jail sentence for corruption on Tuesday and was taken under heavy security to the country’s largest jailhouse in Kajang — a sprawling complex southeast of the capital that holds up to 5,000 prisoners and includes a women’s facility.
First convicted in July 2020, Najib had been out on bail pending appeals. The country’s top court upheld his guilty verdict over criminal breach of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering charges for illegally receiving about $10 million from a former unit of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The son of Malaysia’s second prime minister, Najib held the premiership from 2009 to 2018, when public anger over the multi-billion dollar graft scandal at 1MDB brought election defeat.
Malaysian investigators say they traced more than $1 billion to Najib’s bank accounts, but he has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The opulent lifestyle of Najib and his family came to light with the discovery of about $275 million worth of cash, jewelry, and other luxury goods in residences used by Najib and his family.
Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, has pleaded not guilty in a corruption case unrelated to 1MDB. The court is set to deliver its verdict in her trial on Sept. 1.
