Over his alleged involvement in Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal, former Prime Minister Najib Razak has been arrested in Kaula Lumpur according to the state-run media as the new government reopened investigations into the state investment fund.
The family lawyer of the former PM spoke to Channel News Asia on Tuesday, signaling that Najib will be indicted for his role in the 1MDB scandal.
The anti-corruption agency had brought in the stepson of the ex-leader earlier on Tuesday for questioning. Riza Aziz is a Hollywood film executive. He showed at the offices of the anti-corruption agency but refused to speak to journalists.
Prosecutors in the United States say Riza’s production company, Red Granite Pictures Inc, had used stolen money from the 1MDB state investment fund in the financing of motion pictures in Hollywood made films such as ”The Wolf of Wall Street” which was directed by Martin Scorsese.
In March, agreed to pay some US$ 60 million to the United States Treasury to settle claims that the company had benefited from the 1MDB investment fund.
Accusations of corruption had plagued the Najib government for months and helped fueled the animosity among everyday Malaysians before the May 9 General Elections which brought an end to leadership. During his tenure, the government of the former Prime Minister stonewalled the investigation into alleged corruption but the probe was reopened by his successor.
Neba Benson,
BaretaNews Foreign Correspondent/Analyst
