Najib seeks to remove Malaysia’s top judge from graft appeal

By EILEEN NG
Associated Press

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Former Prime Minister Najib Razak is seeking to remove Malaysia’s top judge from his final appeal in a graft case linked to the massive looting of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund. In a new twist, Najib, in his affidavit read in court Tuesday, said Chief Justice Maimun Tuan Mat may be influenced by her husband who criticized Najib’s leadership in a 2018 Facebook post. As such, Najib said the court’s findings may be perceived as biased. Prosecutors accused Najib of trying to scuttle his appeal after the top court rebuffed his attempts to delay the hearing. Najib would become Malaysia’s first former premier to be imprisoned if his appeal of his conviction and 12-year sentence fails. He has maintained he is innocent.