KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution’s appeal hearing against the acquittal of former FELDA chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad on nine corruption charges has been rescheduled to December 4 at the Federal Court.
Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz confirmed the new hearing date was set during a case management session conducted via Zoom before deputy registrar Mahyun Yusof.
He explained the appeal hearing was initially scheduled to commence on October 29 but required rescheduling as the respondent had appointed new legal counsel.
Mohd Isa has appointed the legal firm of Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak to represent him in the appeal, replacing his previous solicitors, Salehuddin Saidin & Associates.
Lawyer Datuk Salehuddin Saidin had previously represented Mohd Isa in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal before his appointment as a Dewan Negara Senator.
The prosecution filed a notice of appeal on March 7, followed by a petition for appeal on June 26, advancing 24 grounds of appeal.
They contend that the Court of Appeal erred in both law and fact when it acquitted and discharged Mohd Isa.
On March 6, 2024, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal unanimously set aside the conviction as well as six years imprisonment and RM15.45 million fine imposed upon him.
The panel was chaired by Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera and comprised Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Datuk S M Komathy Suppiah.
This decision followed their granting of the appeal lodged by the former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, which overturned the High Court ruling and sentence on February 3, 2021.
In 2018, Mohd Isa was accused of nine counts of receiving RM3.09 million in bribes from Ikhwan Zaidel, then a director of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd.
The bribes were allegedly received via his former special officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip.
The payment was purportedly made as an inducement for approving the purchase of the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching by FELDA Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd for RM160 million.
The offences were alleged to have taken place at Level 49, Menara FELDA, Persiaran KLCC, between July 21, 2014, and December 11, 2015.
He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine. – Bernama