KUALA LUMPUR — The High Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict tomorrow in the RM2.3 billion 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption and money laundering case involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, now a Federal Court judge, will decide whether Najib is guilty or acquitted after a lengthy trial that began in 2019 and concluded submissions last month.
Najib faces four charges of using his position to obtain RM2.3 billion in gratification linked to 1MDB funds and 21 additional money laundering charges. The alleged offences relate to transactions at AmIslamic Bank Berhad in Kuala Lumpur between 2011 and 2014.
The prosecution’s case closed in May 2024 after calling 50 witnesses. On October 30, 2024, the court found there was a prima facie case and ordered Najib to enter his defence. The defence phase ran from December 2024 to May 2025, hearing evidence from 26 defence witnesses.
Najib, who is currently serving a reduced sentence in Kajang Prison for a separate SRC International conviction, is represented by a legal team led by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. The prosecution was originally led by former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram until his death in 2023, after which deputy public prosecutors took over.
If convicted, Najib could face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and substantial fines under the Malaysian Anti‑Corruption Commission Act, and further penalties under the Anti‑Money Laundering, Anti‑Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The ‘Boxing Day’ verdict is expected to draw significant attention nationally and internationally, marking a major milestone in Malaysia’s efforts to adjudicate one of the country’s most high‑profile corruption cases.— December 25, 2025