1MDB verdict: Court rules Arab donation letters were forged
Farah Solhi
Published: Dec 26, 2025 11:44 AM
Updated: 3:20 PM
The Kuala Lumpur High Court has dismissed the Arab donation letters presented by former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's defence team in his 1MDB trial as "forgeries".
In reading out the court verdict this morning, judge Colin Lawrence Sequerah ruled that Najib’s summary of his own narrative in relation to the funds being Arab donations renders it implausible.
"Arab donation narrative is not meritorious. The Arab donation letters were forgeries, and the evidence pointed unmistakably to the fact that the monies were, in fact, derived from 1MDB funds.
"This court has found the Arab donation defence to be incapable of belief and has not succeeded in rebutting the presumption of gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act," the judge said.
In January, Najib testified that the Arab donation into his private account did not violate the Code of Ethics for Members of Administration.
Published: Dec 26, 2025 11:44 AM
Updated: 3:20 PM
The Kuala Lumpur High Court has dismissed the Arab donation letters presented by former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's defence team in his 1MDB trial as "forgeries".
In reading out the court verdict this morning, judge Colin Lawrence Sequerah ruled that Najib’s summary of his own narrative in relation to the funds being Arab donations renders it implausible.
"Arab donation narrative is not meritorious. The Arab donation letters were forgeries, and the evidence pointed unmistakably to the fact that the monies were, in fact, derived from 1MDB funds.
"This court has found the Arab donation defence to be incapable of belief and has not succeeded in rebutting the presumption of gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act," the judge said.
In January, Najib testified that the Arab donation into his private account did not violate the Code of Ethics for Members of Administration.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak
The former Pekan MP told the High Court that this was why he did not disclose the alleged Saudi royal donation to the then-cabinet in 2013.
During the corruption trial on Jan 13, he explained that he only disclosed to the cabinet that the late Saudi monarch King Abdullah would support his administration without disclosing the donation in detail.
Najib also disputed that the four letters addressed to him carried a personal tone.
The former Pekan MP told the High Court that this was why he did not disclose the alleged Saudi royal donation to the then-cabinet in 2013.
During the corruption trial on Jan 13, he explained that he only disclosed to the cabinet that the late Saudi monarch King Abdullah would support his administration without disclosing the donation in detail.
Najib also disputed that the four letters addressed to him carried a personal tone.
Najib’s 25 charges
Najib was accused of four counts of power abuse and 21 money laundering charges in 2018. The trial began the following year.
The former premier had allegedly used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014, at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch on Jalan Raja Chulan in Bukit Ceylon.
For the 21 money laundering charges, he is accused of committing the offence at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013.
Najib was accused of four counts of power abuse and 21 money laundering charges in 2018. The trial began the following year.
The former premier had allegedly used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014, at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch on Jalan Raja Chulan in Bukit Ceylon.
For the 21 money laundering charges, he is accused of committing the offence at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013.
His power abuse charge was framed under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law, carrying 20 years imprisonment and a fine of either five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Najib’s money laundering charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act, which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million and imprisonment of up to five years or both.
He was ordered to defend himself against the charges on Oct 30, 2024, after Collin found the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
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Najib should apply for a FULL pardon a.s.a.p.
No doubt the Head of State has complete discretion to grant Pardons ( but must be exercised via the Pardons Board per the High Court judgement....wakakaka).
ReplyDeleteHowever, just as with Donald Fuck's ill-advised pardon of January 7 insurrectionists, a Full Pardon granted for an appalling crime and deplorable criminal reflects badly on the Personage granting the Full Pardon.
The Sedition Act may deter people from speaking out loud, but people know in their hearts this would be a really Wrong Pardon.
Maybe the Head of State can issue yet another unprecedented decision - a "Preemptive Pardon" - regardless whatever the outcome of subsequent Court appeals judgements, all the way to the Federal Court, Najib is hereby given a Full and Unconditional Pardon.
ReplyDeleteWakakakakaka..end of story ..
https://m.malaysiakini.com/
ReplyDeleteBossku found guilty of All 1MDB charges .
Quote from Judge
"there were no reports lodged with regard to the embezzlement of 1MDB's funds or any reports lodged against Jho Low.
Najib disbanded a task force investigating 1MDB, pushed then-Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz to clarify funds in his accounts, and sacked Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as the attorney general and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the deputy prime minister.
These were consistent and, at times, drastic actions related to a company that Najib had an interest in, "
In other word, Najib did everything in his power to suppress and stymie the 1MDB crime from being investigated.
Najib is the worst kind of criminal Officre holder, and he would have got away with it if not for his losing the General Elections on May 9 2018.
Is there going to be yet another Pardon for Naiib , yet another discount in punishment or another House Arrest order?