KUALA LUMPUR:The High Court here today ruled that there was no evidence showing that Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, the former special political aide to Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, had conspired with other individuals to share the RM3 million bribe and persecute the former Felda chairman.
The individuals are the 15th prosecution witness (SP15) former chief executive officer of Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB) Mohd Zaid Abdul Jalil; former board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd (GAPSB) Ikhwan Zaidel (SP16) and shareholder and director of JV Evolution Sdn Bhd (JVESB) Azizi Abdul Wahab (SP17).
Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali in his judgment said there was no evidence to show that Muhammad Zahid who is the 21st prosecution witness (SP21) had a motive to abuse the accused's position to solicit bribes from Ikhwan for himself.
“Furthermore, why would SP16 hand over more than RM3 million to SP21 who is only the accused’s special aide and does not have any authority in the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) from GAPSB by FICSB, including in terms of negotiations, approvals and payments?
“There is no reasonable excuse for SP17 and SP16 as the businessmen who benefit from FICSB's consent and approval on the purchase of MPHS from GAPSB to plan to cheat and persecute the accused.
“In addition, the source of the bribe was from the payment for MPHS purchase by FICSB to GAPSB which has enabled SP16 to pay JVESB the promised commission for its role as an agent,” he said.
Mohd Isa was today sentenced to a total of 54 years in prison and a fine of RM15.45 million, in default 18 years’ jail, after the court found him guilty of nine counts of corruption involving RM3 million over the agency’s purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) in Kuching, Sarawak.
The 71-year-old former Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan was sentenced to six years’ jail on each count of the charges but only has to serve six years in prison after the judge ordered the prison sentences to be served concurrently.
The judge said the court found the narrative raised by the defence that the bribe was actually a result of a conspiracy by SP15, SP17, SP16 and SP21 to be used as 'political funds' which were actually misappropriated by those who conspired to share it and persecute the accused, had no merit at all.
“The court cannot accept this theory. There was no evidence, including by defence witnesses, who hinted that this had actually happened,” he said.
The judge said the accused had, in his oral testimony, mentioned new things about his former political aide making a confession that he had implicated the accused.
“According to the accused, it occurred not once, but twice. It was obvious to the court that these matters were not asked to SP21 at the prosecution stage. No questions were asked to SP21 about him being depressed while being detained under remand at the allegedly haunted old building of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Feb 03 2021
Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali in his judgment said there was no evidence to show that Muhammad Zahid who is the 21st prosecution witness (SP21) had a motive to abuse the accused's position to solicit bribes from Ikhwan for himself.
Microsoft labur AS1.7b di Indonesia untuk teknologi awan dan AI
Microsoft bakal melabur AS$1.7 bilion dalam tempoh empat tahun akan datang bagi pembangunan infrastruktur awan dan kecerdasan buatan di Indonesia, kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Satya Nadella
Nadella sebagai berkata, pelaburan itu merupakan yang terbesar dalam sejarah 29 tahun Microsoft di negara itu.
Nadella sebagai berkata, pelaburan itu merupakan yang terbesar dalam sejarah 29 tahun Microsoft di negara itu.
Haiwan turut berisiko hadapi 'strok haba'
Gelombang haba yang melanda seluruh dunia memperlihatkan kesan jelas terhadap alam serta hidupan di muka bumi ini. Di Bangladesh misalnya, pengusaha-pengusaha kedai haiwan mencuba sedaya upaya untuk memastikan haiwan peliharaan di kedai mereka tidak mati dalam cuaca ekstrem ini.
Malaysia tewas 2-3 kepada Denmark pada aksi akhir kumpulan D
Malaysia dan Denmark masing-masing sudah pun melayakkan diri ke suku akhir selepas mencatat kemenangan 5-0 ke atas Hong Kong dan Algeria.
Fungsi JAKIM, Kementerian Perpaduan Negara berbeza - mohd na'im
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Agama) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar menegaskan fungsi Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) adalah berbeza dengan Kementerian Perpaduan Negara (KPN).
Sultan Nazrin dilantik pengerusi bagi tempoh dua tahun
Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Malaysia (MKI) bagi tempoh dua tahun berkuat kuasa 9 Mac 2024 hingga 8 Mac 2026.
JKN Terengganu siasat dakwaan kes keracunan makanan
Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Terengganu sedang menyiasat dakwaan kes keracunan makanan selepas dipercayai menjamah sejenis kuih membabitkan beberapa individu termasuk kanak-kanak.
Remaja warga asing samun, menyamar pegawai polis ditahan
Polis menahan remaja lelaki pemegang kad Suruhanjaya Tinggi Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu bagi Pelarian (UNHCR) kerana disyaki terbabit dengan kegiatan samun dan menyamar sebagai anggota polis.
Pesawah mengaku tidak bersalah
Seorang pesawah mengaku tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Sesyen Butterworth atas pertuduhan memuat naik mesej berbau hasutan mengaitkan Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim dengan aktiviti perjudian dalam satu kumpulan WhatsApp, lima hari lalu.
Terengganu tidak bincang cadangan hukuman sebat di khalayak - Azalina
Tiada sebarang perbincangan di antara Kerajaan Negeri Terengganu dan Kerajaan Persekutuan tentang cadangan pelaksanaan hukuman sebat bagi kesalahan syariah di khalayak atau tempat awam.
90 kes direkod di Kelantan dalam tempoh empat bulan
Polis Kelantan merekodkan 90 kes jenayah seksual di negeri itu dalam tempoh empat bulan pertama tahun ini.
Beli kondo mewah: Isa Samad, Mohd Emir diperintah bayar RM3.31 juta kepada FGV
Mahkamah Tinggi memerintahkan bekas Mohd Isa dan bekas Mohd Emir membayar lebih RM3.31 juta kepada syarikat itu berhubung pembelian dua unit kondominium mewah di ibu negara.
Isa Samad dibebaskan: Pendakwaan fail rayuan di Mahkamah Persekutuan - Peguam Negara
Ahmad Terrirudin berkata notis rayuan terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan semalam telah difailkan hari ini.
Tiada bukti kod ‘salam’ kait Isa Samad dengan rasuah - Hakim
'Tiada bukti menunjukkan kod salam antara Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad dan bekas pegawai khas politiknya, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip berkaitan rasuah,' kata Mahkamah Rayuan di sini pada Rabu.
'Ketaatan, kesetiaan saya terhadap UMNO tidak berbelah bahagi' - Isa Samad
Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad menegaskan, ketaatan dan kesetiaan terhadap UMNO tidak berbelah bahagi.
Isa Samad bebas kerana suapan tidak disokong bukti - Hakim
Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad dilepas dan dibebaskan daripada sembilan pertuduhan rasuah RM3 juta kerana bayaran pertuduhan suapan itu tidak disokong bukti yang boleh dipercayai.
Kes rasuah: Mahkamah Rayuan lepas, bebas Isa Samad
Mahkamah Rayuan pada Rabu melepas dan membebaskan bekas Pengerusi Felda, Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad daripada sembilan pertuduhan rasuah RM3 juta.
Kes rasuah: Keputusan rayuan Isa Samad 31 Januari depan
Pada tarikh itu, Isa selaku perayu akan hadir ke prosiding yang dibuat secara fizikal bersama peguamnya.
28 Nov keputusan rayuan Isa Samad terhadap sabitan rasuah dan hukuman
Mahkamah Rayuan menetapkan 28 Nov untuk keputusan rayuan bekas Pengerusi Felda Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad bagi sabitan dan hukuman penjara berkaitan kes rasuah.
Keputusan rayuan Isa Samad ditangguhkan ke tarikh lain
Keputusan rayuan Isa Samad berhubung sabitan dan hukuman penjara atas kesalahan berhubung pembelian sebuah hotel di Sarawak ditangguhkan.Keputusan rayuan bekas Pengerusi Felda, Isa Abdul Samad berhubu
PRN: Anak Isa Samad nafi guna populariti ayah
Anak kepada Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad menafikan beliau menggunakan populariti ayahnya untuk meraih undi sepanjang berkempen pada pilihan raya negeri (PRN) ini.