The hearing, before High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, will be held from Aug 17-19.

Isa has stated he will testify from the witness box, whereby he will be subject to cross-examination.

Isa, 71, was charged with nine counts of receiving gratification totalling RM3,090,000 from Ikhwan Zaidel, a board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, Isa’s special officer.

The money was alleged to be a gratification for helping to approve the purchase of the hotel for RM160 million.

The offences were allegedly committed at Menara Felda between July 21, 2014 and Dec 11, 2015.

On June 19, Nazlan ordered Isa to enter his defence to the charges after finding the prosecution had made a prima facie case against him. However, Isa was acquitted of one charge of criminal breach of trust involving the same hotel.

The judge also ruled that the testimony about nine cash withdrawals by prosecution witness Azizi Abdul Wahab, a shareholder and director of JV Evolution Sdn Bhd, sufficed as credible evidence for the offence.

The judge said “Ikhwan handed over the cash to Mohd Isa’s special officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, who finally gave the cash to the accused as stated in all the nine charges.”

JV Evolution Sdn Bhd was the agent appointed by hotel owner Gagasan Abadi Properties for the sale of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites. Ikhwan was a director of the company at the time.

The prosecution closed its case on Jan 14 after 15 days of hearing with 22 witnesses called to testify.