Malaysian court sets bail for ex-Prime Minister Najib Rajak at 1M ringgit

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, walks into a courtroom in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, July 4, 2018. Najib has arrived at a Kuala Lumpur court house to face charges stemming from a corruption probe, two months after his shock election defeat. (AP Photo/Yam G-Jun)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  — These are the latest on the corruption case against former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (all times local).

11:50 a.m.
A Malaysian High Court judge has approved bail at 1 million ringgit in cash ($250,000) for former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Judge Mohamad Sofian Abdul Razak set the bail amount and told Najib to surrender his two diplomatic passports. Najib earlier pleaded not guilty to four charges in the corruption case involving the 1MDB state investment fund.

The criminal charges come two months after the scandal involving the indebted fund led to Najib’s shock election defeat.

11 a.m.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has pleaded not guilty to all 4 charges in the corruption case brought against him by state prosecutors.

“I claim trial” he said in a barely audible voice as he stood in the dock at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

His lawyers have applied for bail and the amount is still being argued in court. Prosecutors want 4 million ringgit (nearly $1 million) bail.

9.15 a.m.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been charged in a Malaysian lower court with three counts of criminal breach of trust stemming from the corruption scandal at a state investment fund.

Each of the three charges has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Whipping is also a penalty but Najib would be exempt because he is over 60 years old.

A judge said Najib is accused of abusing his power between December 2014 and March 2015 when about $10 million was transferred from a former unit of the 1MDB state fund to his bank account.

The case will be transferred to the High Court where Najib is expected to make his plea Wednesday. He has denied any wrongdoing.

8:30 a.m.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has arrived at a Kuala Lumpur court house to face charges stemming from a corruption probe, two months after his shock election defeat.

Najib was arrested Tuesday by anti-graft officials over a suspicious transfer of 42 million ringgit ($10.4 million) into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of the 1MDB state investment fund that U.S. investigators say was looted by associates of Najib.

State news agency Bernama said Najib could be charged Wednesday with more than 10 counts of criminal breach of trust, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years prison.

Najib, 64, denies any wrongdoing and has accused the new government of seeking “political vengeance.”   /vvp