PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has restored the conviction and sentence imposed on former Felda chairman Isa Samad for receiving about RM3 million in kickbacks in connection with the purchase of a hotel in Kuching 12 years ago.
Justice Nordin Hassan, who led a three-member bench, said the Court of Appeal had committed an appealable error that warranted the apex court’s intervention.
As such, he said the prosecution’s appeal to set aside the acquittal was allowed.
Other judges who heard the appeal were Justices Lee Swee Seng and Ruzima Ghazali.
In 2021, the High Court found Isa guilty of nine corruption charges involving RM3.09 million. Isa was sentenced to six years in prison and fined RM15.4 million.
Two years ago, the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera (now a Federal Court judge) unanimously allowed Isa’s appeal, quashing the conviction and sentence, giving rise to the present appeal.
MORE TO COME
