May 19 for mention of Lokman Adam’s committal proceedings

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has set May 19 for mention of committal proceedings against former Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam for allegedly intimidating a witness in the 1MDB trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The victim is Najib’s former special officer, Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, a key witness in the case.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam said the case was set for mention before High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah at 2pm to fix the date to hear the committal proceedings.

The hearing which was supposed to be heard on April 17 was vacated due to the extension of the movement control order (MCO) by the government.

Last Wednesday, Lokman failed again to set aside the leave obtained by the attorney-general (AG) to initiate committal proceedings against him after the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal and held that there was no error made by the High Court in allowing the leave application by the AG to commence the contempt proceedings.

On January 14, judge Sequerah dismissed Lokman's application to set aside the leave obtained by the AG after the court was satisfied that the fact and the nature of the alleged contempt were sufficiently brought to the attention of the respondent (Lokman).

On October 22, last year, Sequerah granted leave for the AG at that time, Tommy Thomas to initiate committal proceedings against Lokman for contempt of court act perpetrated on two occasions on September 25, last year.

Thomas, 68, who was appointed on June 4, 2018, by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for a two-year term to replace Mohamed Apandi Ali, resigned from the post on February 29 this year.

Thomas initiated the committal proceeding against Lokman, seeking an order for Lokman to be committed to prison or be fined for his action.

According to Thomas, on September 25 last year, Lokman had uttered words in a video interview, constituting an express or implied threat against Amhari Efendi, for having given evidence in Najib’s trial at the High Court.

Thomas said that on the same day, Lokman lodged a police report against Amhari Efendi, who was the eighth prosecution witness, in respect of the evidence given by him at the former prime minister’s trial.

The object or purpose of the respondent’s act, said the AG, was to harass and intimidate Amhari Efendi, other witnesses and any potential witnesses who may come forward to give evidence against Najib in the 1MDB trial.

- Bernama