Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak appeared in court Wednesday for the start of his corruption trial, exactly 10 years after he was first elected to office only to suffer a spectacular defeat last year on allegations he pilfered millions of dollars from a state investment fund.
Attorney General Tommy Thomas said in his opening statement that Najib wielded "near absolute power" for nearly a decade. "The accused is not above the law and his prosecution and this trial should serve as precedents for all future holders of this august office," Thomas said.
Some $700 million from the fund that Najib set up for Malaysia's economic development allegedly landed in his own bank account. According to Thomas, Najib was the real power behind 1MDB and its fully owned subsidiary SRC "in directing and managing their affairs" instead of the board of directors.
Najib's son, Norashman Najib, praised his father for his "tremendous strength and resolve." He tweeted late Tuesday that the trial will be an "excruciatingly difficult period" for his father but that "with the right attitude, even the most trying of situations can be a blessing from Allah."
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