PUTRAJAYA, Sept 8 — The Federal Court has maintained Oct 29 as the date to hear the prosecution’s appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad of nine corruption charges.
Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz confirmed that the date remains unchanged after today’s case management before Federal Court deputy registrar Mahyun Yusof.
The hearing date was initially fixed on July 25.
Meanwhile, in a related development, a letter dated Sept 2 this year, sighted by Bernama, confirmed a change of solicitors representing Isa.
The law firm Tetuan Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak has been appointed to represent Isa Samad, taking over from Tetuan Salehuddin Saidin & Associates.
Previously, Datuk Salehuddin Saidin represented Isa at both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Salehuddin is now a Senator.
The prosecution filed its notice of appeal on March 7, 2024, and petition of appeal on June 26, advancing 24 grounds to support its contention that the Court of Appeal erred in law and fact when it acquitted Mohd Isa of all charges.
On March 6, 2024, a three-member Court of Appeal panel comprising Justice Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera (now a Federal Court judge), Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Datuk S.M. Komathy Suppiah set aside Mohd Isa’s conviction and six-year sentence, as well as the RM15.45 million fine imposed by the High Court on Feb 3, 2021.
The former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar was charged in 2018 with nine counts of receiving RM3,090,000 in bribes from Ikhwan Zaidel, a director of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through his former special political officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, as an inducement for facilitating Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd’s approval to purchase the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites for RM160 million.
The offences were alleged to have taken place at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, between July 21, 2014, and Dec 11, 2015.
He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. — Bernama
