KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Former Felda chairman, Mohd Isa Samad, was found guilty of nine counts of corruption, linked to the purchase of a hotel, in the State of Sarawak (East Malaysia).
The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ruled that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt, in the prosecution’s case against the accused.
Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, is expected to deliver the sentence later, following Isa’s defence team mitigation for a lighter sentence.
The court fixed today for the decision, at the end of defence of Isa’s corruption case, linked to the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB).
On June 16 last year, the court ordered Isa to enter his defence to the nine corruption charges, following its finding that the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against the accused.
On Sept 3 last year, the defence closed its case after having called six witnesses to testify for Isa, who was Negeri Sembilan menteri besar (chief minister) for 22 years from 1982 to 2004.
The accused was charged with nine counts of dishonestly receiving gratification for himself, in cash totalling RM3,090,000, from Ikhwan Zaidel, who is a board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through one Muhammad Zahid Md Arip.
The monies were purportedly gratification for helping to approve the purchase of the hotel by FICSB for RM160 million.– NNN-BERNAMA