KUALA LUMPUR ¨C Malaysia¡¯s former leader Najib Razak has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption and criminal breach of trust in connection with a multibillion-dollar scandal surrounding state fund 1MDB.
Appearing in the High Court on Wednesday, Najib was granted bail of 1 million ringgit ($247,000) and ordered to surrender his passports. He faces three counts of criminal breach of trust, as well as one charge under the anti-corruption act, and could be jailed for up to 20 years and fined. The ex-prime minister is seeking a trial for all charges.
While the breach of trust charges carry punishments that include whipping ¡ª usually done with strokes of a rattan cane ¡ª Najib may be exempted for being more than 50 years old.
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