Malaysian court acquits 2 1MDB critics of financial sabotage

(Channel News Asia) – Two staunch government critics were acquitted on Friday (May 12) of attempting to sabotage Malaysia’s banking and financial services by lodging reports to foreign authorities on state fund 1MDB.

Former UMNO division leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan and his lawyer Matthias Chang were charged in October 2015 for committing the offences at five different locations: France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The prosecution had on Thursday applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, but the Sessions Court decided to acquit the two men instead.

Lawyers for Khairuddin and Chang have indicated that they will be taking further legal action to seek compensation and justice for their clients. Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla added that suits will be filed for unlawful detention coupled with malicious prosecution as well as defamation.