Former Malaysian PM Najib pleads not guilty, granted bail

KUALA LUMPUR -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was granted bail on Wednesday after pleading not guilty to corruption charges.

Najib was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust as well as using his position for graft in connection of 42 million ringgit (10.5 million U.S. dollars) from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, that was transferred into Najib's personal account.

Najib has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The judge set the bail at 1 million ringgit (247,000 U.S. dollars) and asked Najib to surrender his passports.

Najib has been under instigation related to 1MDB since losing the general elections in May, but has denied any wrongdoing.

He was arrested by Malaysia's anti- corruption body on Tuesday. His spokesman said Tuesday that the charges and other ongoing investigations against him were "political motivated" and the former prime minister will "clear his name in court."