THE case involving former Felda chairman Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who was charged with one count of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and nine counts of receiving gratification totalling more than RM3 million, has been transferred to the high court.

Sessions court judge Azura Alwi transferred the case to the after being informed by deputy public prosecutor Umar Saifuddin Jaafar that the defence’s application for the transfer was allowed by high court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan on April 2.

The date for case management at the high court will be fixed later, he said when the case was mentioned at the sessions court today.

Isa, 70, was represented by lawyers Ridha Abdah Subri and Lavinia Kumaraendran.

On December 14 last year, Isa pleaded not guilty to committing CBT and receiving gratification of more than RM3 million as an inducement to approve the purchase of a hotel in Kuching, Sarawak, by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) Sdn Bhd.

He was alleged to have committed the CBT offence at Level 50, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC, on April 29, 2014, and was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years, and whipping, or fine, if convicted.

On the gratification charges, he was alleged to have committed the offences at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC, between July 21, 2014, and December 11, 2015, and was charged under Section 16(a) of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, and fine of RM10,000 or five times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, upon conviction. – Bernama, April 4, 2019.