A Malaysian High Court has dropped one of the charges against former Prime Minister Najib Razak related to the scandal-ridden state fund 1MDB, Bloomberg reports, citing The New Straits Times.
Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin granted Najib a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, meaning the prosecution could potentially refile the charges in the future. Despite this rare victory, Najib remains incarcerated for other 1MDB-related convictions.
The dropped charges involved six counts of criminal breach of trust concerning 6.6 billion ringgit ($1.5 billion) allegedly linked to payments to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund. Najib has consistently maintained his innocence.
The court’s decision stemmed from the prosecution’s failure to provide the defense with necessary documents, with Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi stating he lacked authority over classified materials. Najib’s legal team has yet to comment publicly.
This development comes a month after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accepted a public apology from Najib. The ongoing 1MDB cases pose a significant political challenge for Anwar, who heads a coalition government formed after a hung parliament in 2022. Najib retains considerable influence within the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party, a key component of Anwar’s ruling coalition.
