Malaysia's disgraced former PM leaves jail for house arrest after embezzling millions

Najib's mansion in one of the capital's most exclusive neighbourhoods was declared a federal prison ahead of his homecoming on Tuesday.

Critics said his release from jail undermined efforts to fight corruption and questioned its legal basis, saying Malaysian law made no provision for house arrest.

Najib, who was prime minister from 2009 to 2018, denied wrongdoing but was convicted at two separate trials.

In the first trial he was sentenced in 2020 to 12 years in prison and jailed in 2022. The term was later halved on appeal.

In September, the King of Malaysia granted him a conditional pardon to see out the remaining two years of his sentence at home.