Najib out on bail of RM3.5m

by BERNAMA / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak, who is facing four counts of corruption involving RM2.28 billion in 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) fund and 21 counts of money laundering of the same money, has been granted release on bail of RM3.5 million with two sureties pending disposal of his case.

Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi allowed the application by Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, to pay RM1 million today and RM500,000 each day before or by Sept 28.

Muhammad Shafee had given assurance to the court that the bail would be paid accordingly by Najib’s son, Mohammed Nizar, and an individual by the name of Mohd Shahrir Arifin.

The lawyer requested to pay RM500,000 today instead of yesterday as the bail counter would soon close for the day and, in persuading the judge to be in favour of him, the lawyer said during the last occasion, the bank took almost half a day to settle the payment.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib objected, saying that all the 25 charges were non-bailable offences and if the court wanted to grant bail, he proposed the amount of RM5 million.

Muhammad Shafee also informed the court that he would apply to transfer the case to the High Court. — Bernama