JUDGMENT

Nordin Hassan FCJ:

Introduction

[1] This is an appeal by the Public Prosecutor against the decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and discharge the respondent from nine charges of corruption offences, and to set aside the decision of the High Court on these bribery charges.

[2] The High Court had earlier convicted the respondent of receiving bribes under s 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 ("the MACC Act") and sentenced him to 6 years' imprisonment for each charge and to cumulative fines of RM15,450,000.00 for all nine charges. In default of the payment of the fine, two years' imprisonment is imposed. Meanwhile, the High Court acquitted and discharged the respondent of the charge of criminal breach of trust under s 409 of the Penal Code, the first charge against the respondent. The prosecution did not appeal against the acquittal of the offence of criminal breach of trust.

[3] The charge of criminal breach of trust against the respondent is as follows:

"Pertuduhan pertama

Bahawa kamu pada 29 April 2014, di tingkat 50, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No 11, Persiaran KLCC, 50088, dalam Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, sebagai ejen iaitu Pengarah Syarikat Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat 1052445-A) dan di dalam kapasiti tersebut diamanahkan dengan harta tertentu iaitu dana syarikat Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd telah melakukan pecah amanah jenayah ke atas dana tersebut, di mana kamu telah dengan curangnya melepaskan harta tersebut dengan meluluskan cadangan pembelian Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites Kuching, Sarawak dengan harga RM160 million tanpa kelulusan Ahli Lembaga Pengarah Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (FELDA) bertentangan dengan keputusan Mesyuarat Ahli Lembaga Pengarah FELDA Bilangan 33 bertarikh 25 Jun 2013 yang dibuat berkenaan perlaksanaan amanah tersebut di mana Ahli Lembaga Pengarah Felda memberi mandat kepada Ahli Lembaga Pengarah Syarikat Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd dalam membuat keputusan pelaburan yang melibatkan projek yang bernilai RM100 juta ke bawah dan oleh yang demikian kamu telah melakukan suatu kesalahan pecah amanah jenayah iaitu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 409 Kanun Keseksaan."