Lokman Adam to answer contempt charge brought by AG
(FMT) – Former Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam has been ordered to answer a contempt charge in relation to former prime minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial.
This follows the decision by a five-member Federal Court bench today which dismissed his appeal to set aside the leave obtained by the attorney-general to cite him for showing disrespect to the court in 2019.
Lokman’s case will be mentioned on Jan 27 before High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah who is also presiding over the 1MDB case.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who delivered the oral decision, said the bench found no reason to disturb the findings of Sequerah which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
“We find no prejudice occasioned to the appellant. The appeal is dismissed,” said Tengku Maimun who sat with Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Abdul Rahman Sebli, Zaleha Yusof and Hasnah Mohammed Hashim.
Tengku Maimun said the notice issued to Lokman by the attorney-general under the Court Rules 2012 was correct.
“It need not be issued by the court itself but by a party who wanted the court to begin contempt proceeding,” she said.
She also said the bench was of the view the notice contained adequate particulars for Lokman to respond to the charge.
On May 13 last year, a three-member Court of Appeal chaired by Yaacob Md Sam said there was no appealable error by Sequerah in allowing the ex-parte application warranting the intervention of the court.
The AG was represented by ad-hoc deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Gopal Sri Ram, and DPPs Ahmad Akram Gharib and Mustaffa P Kunyalam.
Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah appeared for Lokman.
On Jan 14 last year, Sequerah said the AG’s affidavit explaining why Lokman should be cited for showing disrespect to the court was not ambiguous.
Sequerah also ruled that outside parties apart from the court could issue show-cause letter to a person for alleged contempt.
On Oct 22, 2019, Sequerah allowed then attorney-general Tommy Thomas to initiate committal proceedings against Lokman for allegedly threatening witness Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin in the 1MDB trial.
Lokman lodged a police report challenging Amhari’s credibility as a witness following the latter’s admission on the witness stand that he had received a US$200,000 loan from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).
The prosecution submitted that Lokman’s comments about Amhari were not only tantamount to threatening the witness or other potential witnesses, but also undermined the administration of justice.
The prosecution said Lokman also gave a video interview where he allegedly attacked the integrity of the attorney-general.
The former prime minister faces four charges for abusing his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.
