Bangkok (dpa) - Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday after a Kuala Lumpur court convicted him on all seven counts in the first of five corruption cases linked to the scandal-plagued state investment fund 1MDB.

Najib, 67, was found guilty at Kuala Lumpur High Court of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power related to 42 million ringgit (9.5 million dollars) allegedly stolen from SRC International, a subsidiary of 1MDB.

Najib's sentences for each count range from 10 to 12 years and will run concurrently. He was also fined 210 million ringgit (49.3 million dollars) and faces an additional five years in jail if he cannot pay.

The court granted a request by Najib's lawyers for a stay of execution pending an appeal, meaning he will not report to jail immediately. However he must check in with police twice a month.

Before his sentencing, Najib repeated his claims of innocence, saying: "I have no knowledge of the 42 million. That's all I have to say."

Defence lawyer Mohammad Shafee said Najib had merely "overtrusted" others involved with 1MDB.

The prosecution argued against leniency, saying the case "tarnished the country as a kleptocracy."

In a joint statement, three opposition parties labelled the verdict "a great victory for Malaysians."

Najib is due in court again on August 3 for hearings in the biggest of the ongoing trials, this one over allegations he stole more than 700 million dollars in public money from 1MDB.

Tuesday's verdict related to wrongdoing at the subsidiary SRC International. Najib faces a further 35 charges related to 1MDB, with the High Court on Monday announcing July 2021 dates for a money laundering trial linked to SRC International.

Najib, who helped set up 1MDB during his time as finance minister, has insisted that the money was a donation from Saudi Arabia that he mostly repaid.

Last week, US investment bank Goldman Sachs agreed a settlement of 3.9 billion dollars with the Malaysian government regarding allegations of wrongdoing by its employees related to 1MDB.

The scandal has spawned investigations in Singapore and Switzerland, as well as in the US. The US Department of Justice has repatriated hundreds of millions of dollars to Malaysia after recovering assets - such as Picasso artwork and a luxury yacht - it said were purchased to launder money stolen from 1MDB.

Najib was arrested after losing power in the May 2018 parliamentary elections - after a campaign fought in part over graft allegations levelled against the incumbent.