Former premier Najib Abdul Razak will be slapped with 21 fresh charges pertaining to the RM2.6 billion found in his personal bank account.

According to deputy inspector-general Noor Rashid Ibrahim, the relevant charges would be as follows:

  • Nine charges of receiving illegal money
  • Five charges of using illegal money
  • Seven charges of transferring illegal money to other entities

"The anti-money laundering investigation team under the inspector-general of police's secretariat had, with the approval of the Attorney-General's Chambers, arrested Najib at the lobby of the team's office on Sept 20.

"He (Najib) will be taken to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to face charges under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA) 2001," he said in a statement this morning.

Rashid said the charges prepared against Najib were carried out in co-operation with MACC.

The RM2.6 billion refers to the US$681 million Najib received in his personal bank account in March 2013, which were funds allegedly misappropriated from state investment firm 1MDB.

However, the former premier has maintained that it was a donation from a member of the Saudi royal family.

Earlier today, Najib was taken to the police Commercial Crimes Investigation Department headquarters at 9.20am to facilitate police investigations into the matter.

Clad in a black suit and light blue shirt, Najib was escorted by MACC and police officers into the headquarters, located inside Menara 238 at Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur.

He was brought from the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, where he was detained overnight, to be further questioned over allegations of abuse of power while in office.

Following his arrest yesterday, sources told Malaysiakini that MACC recorded his statement with regard to 700 cheques linked to the 1MDB scandal.

Najib is expected to be brought to court at 3pm.

Yesterday, his daughter Nooryana Najwa told Malaysiakini that the late proceedings could prevent the former premier from posting bail, resulting in him spending an additional night in detention.