Prosecutors argue that the ruling of the appeals court to reversal of Isa Samad's bribery conviction is incorrect.
In a recent turn of events, the ongoing corruption case against former Malaysian politician Isa Samad is heading back to court following an appeal by the prosecution. The appeal comes after the Court of Appeal overturned Isa's conviction in 2024, a decision that was initially handed down by Justice Nazlan Ghazali in 2021.
The case in question revolves around the approval for the purchase of a hotel in Kuching, with Isa being the individual whose conviction was overturned. Evidence was led during the trial that Zahid Arip, a key prosecution witness, had accepted money from businessman Ikhwan Zaidel, a former director of the hotel. However, the court heard that Ikhwan told the court Isa had never directly requested any gratification.
Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, who led a three-member bench in the Federal Court, stated that the prosecutors had presented two different narratives of their case. He further deemed Zahid Arip, a key prosecution witness, not a credible witness due to material contradictions in his testimony.
The prosecution argues that the Court of Appeal fell into error when assessing the evidence of Zahid Arip and was wrong in holding that such evidence ought to have been corroborated. They also contend that the Court of Appeal was wrong to state that the receipt of corrupt money could not be proven without first establishing solicitation.
In its petition of appeal, the prosecution argues that the Court of Appeal erred when identifying the elements that make up the offence of receiving gratification, citing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 as a basis for their argument that soliciting and receiving money are not distinct offences.
The Federal Court has scheduled a case management for July 7, signifying the continuation of this legal battle. The current status of the case is that the prosecutors have appealed the Court of Appeal's decision to overturn Isa's conviction, indicating ongoing legal proceedings.
It is important to note that this article provides factual information about the case and does not contain opinions or unrelated information. The specific case in question does not appear to have involved any new facts or details not previously stated.
- The General-news and Crime-and-justice sectors have been abuzz with the ongoing legal proceedings of the corruption case against former Malaysian politician Isa Samad.
- In Malaysia's political landscape, the UNjustice case against Isa Samad, which involves a business transaction for a hotel in Kuching, is a matter of interest as it questions the credibility of key prosecution witness Zahid Arip.
- The continuation of Isa Samad's corruption case, amidst allegations of accepting bribes from businessman Ikhwan Zaidel, serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle against Corruption in the country's Business and Political spheres.
