The Kuala Lumpur High Court today sentenced former Felda chairman Mohd Isa Abdul Samad to six years in jail and fined him RM15.4 million over nine corruption charges involving RM3 million related to a hotel purchase in Sarawak.

Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, in delivering the judgement earlier, said the defence had failed to raise any doubt in the prosecution's case against the former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar.

The court, however, granted a stay on the execution of the sentence, and fixed the bail amount at RM1.5 million, which must be paid by tomorrow afternoon.

Mohd Isa, 71, was initially slapped with one count of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and nine counts of corruption over the purchase of the Merdeka Palace and Suite Hotel, but he was latter acquitted on the CBT case, but told to enter defence on the bribery charges.

A total of prosecution witnesses were called to testify during the hearing of the case, which began on Oct 8, 2019.

According to the charges under Section 16a(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, Isa dishonestly received RM3.09 million from a member of the Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through one Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, as a gratification for himself for helping to approve the purchase of the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites by FIC (Felda Investment Corporation) for RM160 million.

The offences were committed between July 21,2014, and Dec 11,2015, at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC in Kuala Lumpur.


Source: Malay Mail, The Star
Photo source: Astro Awani