KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak appeared at the High Court here on Tuesday for the final arguments in his 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund misappropriation case, arriving in a wheelchair.

Dressed in a brown suit, the 71-year-old former prime minister was reported to have issues with his right knee and was accompanied by prison staff to the courtroom, according to Malay news portal Sinar Harian in a report published today.

Before the proceedings began, the former Umno president was seen walking slowly with a cane inside the courtroom.

The judge later granted the defence’s request for Najib to sit outside the defendant’s dock to allow him to stretch his leg.

Last week, the final arguments in the 1MDB misappropriation case were postponed for two days after the former Pekan MP was unfit to attend court.

Senior Consultant of the Orthopaedic and Traumatology Department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Dr Siti Hawa Tahir, informed Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Najib had been referred to her on Sunday, September 8, after complaining of acute knee pain.

Following that, she said Najib was given a two-day medical certificate and was treated with strong analgesics for the pain.

She also mentioned that Najib is currently on opioid medication, with the medical team working to help him walk comfortably without further complications.

However, she added that Najib had complained of drowsiness since starting the prescription and might experience other symptoms.

The proceedings are now in their seventh day of oral submissions, with no witness testimony being presented.

Both the defence and prosecution are preparing their final arguments to conclude whether the oral and documentary evidence will convict or acquit Najib of the charges.

Najib faces four counts of abusing his position to obtain RM2.3 billion in bribes from 1MDB funds at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, between February 24, 2011, and December 19, 2014.

He also faces 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and August 30, 2013.

Najib is charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same act, as well as under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.