PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal has overturned former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad’s conviction of nine counts of corruption amounting to RM3 million.
The appellate court also dismissed Isa’s six-year jail term and a fine of RM15.45 million, in default 18 years prison that were handed down by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in 2021.
Today’s ruling was a unanimous decision by the three-person bench led by Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera. The other panellists were Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Datuk S.M. Komathy Suppiah.
In their decision, the bench said: “We find that there are merits in the appeal, and appellate intervention is warranted.”
“Hence, the appeal against conviction and sentence in respect of all charges is allowed and the order of the high court is set aside. The appellant is acquitted and discharged.”
The decision was supposed to be delivered on January 31; however, the date was vacated by the appellate court and adjourned to today.
The prosecution has said it will file an appeal against the acquittal.
Isa, who is also former Negri Sembilan menteri besar, was found guilty by then high court judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali on February 3, 2021, on nine charges of bribery involving RM3.09 million in Felda’s acquisition of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak.
The offence was committed on the 49th floor of Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11 Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, between July 21, 2014 and December 11, 2015.
The sentence was ordered to run concurrently, which meant Isa needed to serve only six years in prison.
He filed the notice of appeal on February 4, 2021. He was also released on a RM1.5 million bail pending his appeal. – March 6, 2024