KUALA LUMPUR – Former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad has been found guilty on nine corruption charges involving RM3 million related to the agency’s purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali started delivering his judgment at 9.50am.
In his ruling, Nazlan said “the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt”.
The defence only denied the charges, he said, and failed to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case.
He said the court also found the accused’s defence that the 21st prosecution witness (SP21), Isa’s former special political officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, who was an interested witness, had implicated the accused, is an afterthought.
“The defence by the accused that SP21 conspired with other witnesses to share RM2 million was without merit and unacceptable.”
Isa’s wife, Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid, and son, Mohamad Najib Mohd Isa, were allowed to sit in the courtroom.
The factors brought up during mitigation were Isa’s contributions as former Negri Sembilan menteri besar and Jempol MP, old age and deteriorating health, as well as the case being his first offence.
Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz requested that the court sentence Isa to 12 years in prison due to the “seriousness of the nature of the crime committed”.
Isa, 71, was charged with nine counts of dishonestly receiving gratification for himself, in the form of cash totalling RM3.09 million, from Ikhwan Zaidel, a board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through Zahid, for helping approve the purchase of the hotel by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd at a price tag of RM160 million.
The offences were committed on Level 49 of Menara Felda in Platinum Park here between July 21, 2014 and December 11, 2015.
The charges are under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law, which provides a jail term not exceeding 20 years and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The prosecution is led by Afzainizam, while lawyer Datuk Salehuddin Saidin heads the defence. – The Vibes, February 3, 2021
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