Ex-Malaysian premier charged in corruption case

By Adem Salvarcioglu

ANKARA (AA) - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was charged in a multi-million-dollar corruption scandal, local media reported on Thursday.

According to Channel NewsAsia, a Singapore-based broadcaster, Razak and his former treasury chief Irwan Serigar Abdullah were charged on six counts of criminal breach of trust.

Both Razak and Abdullah pleaded not guilty to all charges. They were released on bail set for around $250,000.

The two might face a jail term of up to 20 years on each charge.

Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), spearheaded by Razak, has been the subject of a global money-laundering probe.

The scandal has triggered probes and investigations in multiple locations around the globe, including the U.S. and Switzerland.

Singapore's investigations, which began in 2015, have resulted in the seizure of bank accounts. The Monetary Authority of Singapore ordered Falcon Private Bank to cease operations in Singapore last October.