Kathmandu— Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was charged on Thursday with failing to provide a complete declaration of his assets, becoming the third former leader in the country to face criminal charges after leaving office. The 66-year-old pleaded not guilty at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to allegations that he concealed holdings worth around $40 million, encompassing nine currencies and precious metals. He served as prime minister for just 15 months, from August 2021 to November 2022, making his tenure the shortest in Malaysian history.

Asset Declaration Failure

Ismail Sabri is accused of failing to fully declare assets to Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency. His lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, explained that the charge centers on a failure to comply with a notice requesting asset declarations. The alleged concealed holdings are valued at approximately $40 million and include various currencies as well as gold and silver bars.

Court Proceedings and Bail

The judge set bail for Ismail Sabri at 300,000 ringgit (approximately $74,504) and denied a request to confiscate his passport, citing no evidence suggesting he posed a flight risk. He is scheduled to return to court on September 29th. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

Pattern of Prosecuted Former Leaders

Ismail Sabri joins a growing list of former Malaysian prime ministers facing legal challenges after their terms ended. Najib Razak is currently serving a six-year prison sentence related to the 1MDB state investment fund scandal, and faces further proceedings in addition to a recent fifteen year sentence for graft. Muhyiddin Yassin is also presently on trial on charges of corruption and money laundering.

The case against Ismail Sabri will continue with his next court appearance scheduled for September 29th, adding to the ongoing scrutiny of past Malaysian leadership.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.