KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 6): Imprisoned former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has paid the RM50 million fine, paving the way to him serving the remainder of his prison term in the confinement of his home.
Umno secretary general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki confirmed the matter via a statement on Friday.
"Umno wishes to announce that the total amount of funds collected through the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund, which was launched on Sept 18 to assist [Najib], has reached its target and is sufficient," the statement said, confirming that the process had been completed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Friday.
While voicing their gratitude to all supporters, the party which Najib used to lead until his defeat at the polls in 2018 said that they will be shutting down the special Najib Razak Solidarity Fund.
Najib's lawyer Muhammad Farhan Shafee and the former prime minister's aide Ahmad Lutfi Azhar were seen at the payment counter in court around noon on Friday.
The situation was chaotic at the court premises, with reporters chasing the duo between the payment counter and the High Court registration counter for criminal cases where the paperwork was expected to be finalised.
The press had approached the duo several times to comment but were merely acknowledged with smiles.
Sources close to the matter also confirmed with The Edge that the payment has been made.
However, any other details were scarce at press time.
What is to transpire after the fine payment, in relation Najib's house arrest, is not immediately clear.
Rumour has been rife in recent days that the RM50 million fine would be settled, paving the way for Najib to serve the remainder of his imprisonment in the confines of his home.
Earlier on Friday, Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor — who was in court for one of her own cases — said that neither she nor her family had any knowledge of payments to be made.
Utusan Malaysia had also reported on Friday morning that two representatives of Najib were allegedly seen leaving the payment counter.
On Sept 18, it was announced that the Federal Territory Pardons Board — under the King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar — had allowed Najib to serve the remainder of his reduced jail term under house arrest with the caveat that he pays the RM50 million fine first.
Following this, Umno announced that they would crowdfund the sum to help its former party chief.
Najib's lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had also previously said that his client does not have the money at hand to pay the fine as his assets remain are under freezing orders and enforcement proceedings.
In the SRC case, the court had upheld Najib's guilty verdict for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering as well as his 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine.
However, in 2024, the Pardons Board under then-King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah reduced these to six years and RM50 million.
Najib began serving his jail term on Aug 23, 2022. Following the reduction, he is slated to end his imprisonment in August 2028.