Defence to appl�� to transfer Isa’s case to High Court
KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyers representing former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who is facing one count of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and nine counts of corruption , involving more than RM3 million, is filing an application to transfer the case to the High Court.
One of the lawyers, Datuk K. Kumaraendran informed Sessions Court judgeAzura Alwi, when the case came up for mention yesterday, that the defence would file the application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court by March 20.
However, the defence would only be able to do so after they had obtained all the documents from the prosecution, he added.
The prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Umar Saifuddin Jaafar, did not object, and informed the court that they had handed over the remaining 32 documents on the case to the defence.
“All the documents have been submitted to the defence, but if there are other documents, they will be handed over before March 15,” he added.
Azura then set April 4 for mention for development on the application to transfer the case.
On Dec 14 last year, Mohd Isa pleaded not guilty to the CBT charge and nine counts of corruption involving more than RM3 million in connection with a hotel purchase by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) in Kuching, Sarawak.
On the CBT charge, Mohd Isa was charged as director of Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd and trusted with the company fund, had committed CBT by approving a proposal for the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak, for RM160 million without the approval of the Felda Board of Directors.
His action was contrary to the decision of the Felda Board of Directors at its meeting, No. 303 dated June 25, 2013 that was made in respect of the implementation of the trust in which members of the Felda Board of Directors had given their mandate to members of the FIC Board of Directors to make decision on investments involving projects valued at RM100 million and below.
He was charged with committing the offence at Level 50, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC near here on April 29, 2014.
The charge was framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years, whipping and fine, if found guilty.
On the corruption charges, Mohd Isa was charged with dishonestly receiving gratification for himself, in cash totalling RM3,090,000.00, from Ikhwan Zaidel, who is a board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through one Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, as gratification for helping to approve the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak , by FIC Sdn Bhd , for RM160 million.
All the offences were allegedly committed at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC near here between July 21, 2014 and Dec 11, 2015.