Malaysia’s law minister says a government inquiry has found evidence of a conspiracy to broker the appointment of top judges.

The announcement deals a major blow to the reputation of Malaysia’s courts. Some lawyers claim that judicial corruption has tainted key verdicts stretching back more than a decade.

Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim said Friday that an inquiry panel supported claims that a lawyer conspired with judicial, government and corporate figures to manipulate the appointment of judges.

The scandal erupted in September when the opposition leaked a video that allegedly showed prominent lawyer V.K. Lingam speaking by telephone in 2001 to a former top judge.