Najib and Irwan claim trial.
Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak and his former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah were on Thursday charged with six counts each of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving government funds of RM6.6 billion.
The duo pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
They were said to have committed the offences between December 2016 and December 2017.
According to the charges, they were entrusted with the funds but misappropriated the money in their positions as finance minister and Treasury secretary-general at the time.
On the first charge, they were accused of committing CBT of RM1.2 billion on Dec 21, 2016, at the office of the finance ministry.
On the second charge, they were accused of committing CBT of RM655 million at the same place and time.
The third charge accused them of committing CBT of RM220 million in the Federal Consolidated Fund on Aug 3, 2017.
On the fourth charge, they were said to have committed CBT of RM1.3 billion, also in the Federal Consolidated Fund, on Aug 10, 2017.
The money in the third and fourth charges was meant for Kuala Lumpur International Bhd expenditure, subsidies and financial aid.
According to the fifth charge, they committed CBT of 1,950,000,000 yuan (approximately RM1,261,065,000) on Aug 23.
On the sixth charge, they were accused of committing CBT of RM2 billion on Dec 18, 2017.
If convicted under Section 409 of the Penal Code, they face a maximum jail term of 20 years, whipping and a fine.
Part of the monies has been slated for certain purposes including the management expenditure of KLIA and 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M), reportedly under the Budget 2017 allocation.
It has been reported that the monies were channelled to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) instead, to repay its debts, including US$1.2 billion to Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) in April 2017.
Today’s charges bring to 38 the total number of charges Najib faces.
Separately, Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation’s (MEIO) former director general Datuk Hasanah Ab Hamid, 61, will face one count of CBT involving US$12.1 million (RM50.43 million).
She allegedly committed the offence between April 30, 2018, and May 9, 2018.
All the charges can be punished under Section 409 of the Penal Code and read with Section 34 of the same code.
If found guilty, each offence carries a jail term of between two and 20 years, whipping and a fine.