Ousted Malaysian prime minister faces 25 more charges over money laundering
Kuala Lumpur — Malaysian prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Najib Razak with 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power on Thursday over hundreds of millions of dollars received in his personal bank account. Najib pleaded not guilty and claimed his right to a trial during a court appearance on Thursday. His alleged connection to the scandal surrounding state development fund 1Malaysia Development (1MDB) contributed heavily to his surprise electoral defeat in May. Clad in a dark suit, Najib appeared calm in court following an overnight stay in the custody of antigraft authorities. In the packed court Judge Azura Alwi rejected the prosecution’s request to revoke Najib’s bail, but raised it to nearly $850,000 from $250,000. Prosecutors are seeking to put a gag order on Najib, saying he has the ability to interfere with the case by issuing 1MDB-related statements. Defence lawyers argued he should remain free. Najib, 65, has recently taken to Facebook to de...
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