Malaysia’s High Court has dropped money laundering charges against former Prime Minister Najib Razak in a case tied to the controversial 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund, though without granting him full acquittal, his legal team confirmed Friday.
Najib, who has been serving a prison sentence since August 2022 for corruption and money laundering involving SRC International — a former 1MDB subsidiary — faced three additional charges related to the alleged misappropriation of 27 million ringgit ($6.4 million).
Due to repeated procedural delays since 2019, the Kuala Lumpur High Court approved Najib’s request for a “discharge not amounting to acquittal” (DNAA), allowing prosecutors to refile the case later. His lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, described the decision as fair, noting that it spares Najib from indefinite legal limbo.
“This means the sword of Damocles no longer hangs over his head,” Shafee told reporters. The Attorney-General’s Chambers has not yet issued a response.
This marks the second instance where 1MDB-related charges against Najib have been dropped without a final judgment. A similar decision was made last year in a separate corruption case involving Najib and a former treasury official. Additionally, in 2023, he was acquitted in a case related to tampering with a 1MDB audit report.
Najib continues to await a verdict in the most significant 1MDB trial, where closing arguments are scheduled for October. He maintains his innocence on all charges.
Separately, Najib is also pursuing legal action to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest, citing a supposed royal directive he claims supports this request.
