Federal Court rejects Isa Samad’s final bid to overturn RM3m graft conviction

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Former Felda chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad has exhausted his legal avenues to overturn his conviction over RM3 million in kickbacks linked to the purchase of a hotel in Kuching, after the Federal Court today dismissed his bid to review an earlier ruling that upheld his conviction.

According to FMT, the decision leaves the 76-year-old former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar with only one remaining avenue of relief — a royal pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as the offences were committed in Kuala Lumpur.

A three-member Federal Court bench chaired by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi dismissed Isa’s application to review the court’s previous decision and to order a rehearing of his appeal.

Azizah ruled that there had been no miscarriage of justice warranting the court’s intervention under Rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules 1995.

She said Isa had failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances that would justify the exercise of the court’s review jurisdiction.

The judge also said Isa had not been denied the opportunity to present arguments in his defence or mitigation before the appellate panel reserved its decision.

Justices Collin Lawrence Sequerah and P Ravinthran sat on the bench with Azizah.

Isa was convicted by the High Court in 2021 on nine corruption charges involving RM3.09 million in kickbacks linked to Felda’s purchase of a hotel in Kuching. He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and fined RM15.5 million.

The Court of Appeal overturned both the conviction and sentence in 2023.

However, the Federal Court reinstated the conviction and sentence on February 10 this year, ordering Isa to begin serving his jail term immediately.