Najib Razak's Legal Saga Continues: A Temporary Reprieve in 1MDB Scandal

Malaysia's High Court has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a discharge but not an acquittal from money laundering charges linked to the 1MDB scandal. His lawyer announced this decision, providing a temporary respite amid ongoing legal challenges over the misuse of billions from state funds.

In a significant legal development, Malaysia's High Court has granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a discharge, without acquitting him, from money laundering charges tied to the ongoing 1MDB scandal. This move offers temporary relief to Razak, who has been imprisoned since August 2022 following a conviction for corruption and laundering funds from SRC International.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision comes after repeated procedural delays since 2019, allowing Razak a temporary escape from the immediate threat of prosecution. His lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, emphasized the fairness of the court's decision, noting that the prosecution retains the option to re-file charges when prepared to proceed.

This ruling marks the second occasion where 1MDB-related charges against Razak have been paused. In 2023, Razak experienced another favorable ruling as he was acquitted of charges related to tampering with a government audit of 1MDB. As he awaits the verdict of a major ongoing trial, Razak continues his pursuit of serving the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)