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In a turn of events that has gripped the nation, former minister Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad was today (10 February) ordered to begin serving his six-year prison sentence after the Federal Court reinstated his conviction and sentence in a long-running corruption case.
Isa, a once-powerful figure in Malaysian politics who held senior posts including Chief Minister of Negeri Sembilan and FELDA chairman, was immediately taken into custody following the Federal Court’s unanimous ruling that revived his 2021 sentence and RM15.45 million fine.
A three-member apex court panel chaired by Justice Datuk Nordin Hassan ruled that the Court of Appeal had erred in acquitting him in March 2024, Malaysiakini reported.
Delivering the ruling, Nordin said the High Court’s findings were supported by evidence and consistent with the law, adding that all elements of the offences under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Where will he serve his sentence?
There is no information yet on where Isa Samad will serve his jailterm.
Both Malaysiakini and Harian Metro mentioned the Sungai Buloh prison, but this has not been confirmed.
At the courthouse today, his wife Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid was seen crying as the verdict was announced.
Why Isa Samad Was Convicted
The case stems from charges first brought in December 2018, accusing Isa of criminal breach of trust and receiving gratification totaling more than RM3 million through a series of payments linked to the controversial acquisition of the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites by FELDA’s investment arm.
In February 2021, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found Isa guilty on one count of criminal breach of trust and nine counts of receiving gratification, sentencing him to six years in prison and imposing a RM15.45 million fine. The offences were said to have occurred between July 2014 and December 2015 at Menara FELDA, Persiaran KLCC.
However, that conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in March 2024, which acquitted and discharged Isa after finding that the prosecution had not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. That decision sparked debate over judicial standards and political accountability, with the prosecution swiftly filing a Federal Court appeal.
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