PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal here today upheld the one-month jail imposed by a High Court on former UMNO Supreme Council (MT) member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam for contempt of court in having intimidated a witness in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial.
This followed a unanimous decision by a panel of three Court of Appeal judges, comprising Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Nordin Hassan, in dismissing Lokman's appeal against the conviction and sentence handed down by the High Court.
On July 15 last year, High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah sentenced Lokman to one month in prison after finding him guilty of contempt of court for threatening a prosecution witness in the 1MDB case.
The witness is Najib's former special officer, Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, who is also the main witness in the case.
However, the three-judge panel allowed the request by Lokman, represented by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, to stay the execution of the prison sentence pending an appeal at the Federal Court.
Judge Che Mohd Ruzima, when reading out the court's unanimous decision today, said the facts regarding the conduct that led to the action taken against Lokman were not disputed because they stemmed from a police report made by the appellant at 3.24 pm on Sept 25, 2019, and a media statement was issued on the same day at 6.33 pm.
He said the court had examined the police report and the transcript of the media statement and found that it could be classified as a major report under Section 107 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
"We are of the view that there is no error in the decision taken by the High Court in convicting the appellant of contempt of court. There are facts that show the appellant had intended to make the police report and media statement.
"The court also found that there was no mistake in the decision made by the High Court judge when deciding that the appellant's actions had interfered with the administration of justice. Therefore, the court finds no merit in the appellant's appeal," said the judge.
On the prosecution's cross-appeal, Judge Che Mohd Ruzima said there was no reasonable excuse for the court to interfere with the prison sentence handed down by the High Court judge.
"The judge had considered the offence committed, the seriousness of the offence and public interest when making the decision. Therefore, the(prison) sentence imposed on the appellant is appropriate and reasonable. The prosecution's appeal is dismissed," he added.
At today's proceeding, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution.
On Oct 22, 2019, the High Court granted leave to the then Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas to initiate committal proceedings against Lokman for contempt of court act perpetrated on two occasions on Sept 25, 2019.
On Jan 14, 2020, Justice Sequerah dismissed Lokman's application to set aside the leave obtained by the AG. Lokman also lost his two appeals in the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court to overturn the High Court's ruling.
Thomas had initiated the committal proceeding against Lokman to seek an order for Lokman to be committed to prison or be fined for his action.
According to Thomas, on Sept 25, 2019, Lokman uttered words in a video interview that constituted an express or implied threat against Amhari Efendi for having given evidence in the former prime minister's trial at the High Court.
Thomas said that on the same day, Lokman lodged a police report against Amhari Efendi in respect of the evidence given by him at the trial.
He said the objective or purpose of Lokman's act 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
Bernama
Wed Oct 26 2022
The Appeal's Court today upheld the sentence imposed on Lokman Noor Adam for contempt of court in having intimidated a witness in Najib's 1MDB trial. - BERNAMA
Lima penjawat awam direman bantu siasatan kes terima suapan
Lima penjawat awam direman bagi membantu siasatan kes menerima suapan RM3,000 hingga RM15,000 daripada kontraktor berkait kerja pembersihan.
AFPPD pilih Malaysia jadi tuan rumah pejabat sekretariat
Forum Ahli Parlimen Negara Asia Mengenai Populasi dan Pembangunan (AFPPD) memilih Malaysia sebagai pilihan utama untuk menempatkan pejabat sekretariatnya.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: "Nampaknya dia yang 'pergi' dulu..." - Ibu Allahyarham Komander Firdaus
Komander Muhammad Firdaus anak yang bertanggungjawab serta contoh yang baik kepada adik-adik yang lain, malah sangat mengambil berat tentang keperluan keluarga.
EPL: Dua bintang remaja ditahan kerana disyaki merogol
Dua pemain bola sepak Liga Perdana Inggeris telah ditangkap pada hujung minggu kerana disyaki merogol dan melakukan serangan.
Paul Yong fail rayuan kes rogol amah di Mahkamah Persekutuan
Paul Yong memfailkan rayuan di Mahkamah Persekutuan pada 5 Mac lalu, berhubung keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan yang mengekalkan sabitan bersalah merogol pembantu rumah warga Indonesia.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Laporan interim siap dalam masa dua minggu - Fahmi
Menteri Pertahanan akan membuat pengumuman berhubung bantuan yang akan diberikan pada Rabu.
Gadang rayu EPU ketepikan keperluan ekuiti Bumiputera bagi pengambilan tanah Kwasa Damansara
Gadang Holdings Bhd berkata ia akan merayu kepada Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU) untuk mengenepikan keperluan ekuiti Bumiputera bagi memudahkan pemilikan tanah seluas 21.08 ekar di Kwasa Damansara.
Doa dan kenangan buat pejuang
Titipan doa Wartawan Ridauddin Daud buat pejuang negara yang meninggal dunia dalam nahas dua helikopter di Pangkalan TLDM. Semoga roh mereka dicucuri rahmat.
PM Vietnam cadang ASEAN jadi model transformasi digital global
Perdana Menteri Vietnam mencadangkan orientasi kejayaan untuk menjadikan ASEAN sebagai model dalam transformasi digital di peringkat global.
Proses bedah siasat selesai, penghormatan terakhir mengikut tradisi tentera laut
Ridauddin Daud membawakan perkembangan terkini penghomatan terakhir kepada 10 mangsa insiden helikopter TLDM yang terhempas di Lumut.
KJ puas hati Lokman Adam minta maaf, setuju bayar pampasan
Dakwa plaintif, kenyataan fitnah dalam saman itu membawa maksud antaranya beliau menipu orang ramai dengan mendakwa telah diberi vaksin COVID-19.
Bicara kes komunikasi jelik Lokman Adam terhadap Ismail Sabri, kerajaan bermula 9 Okt
Kes Lokman Adam yang didakwa atas pertuduhan membuat dan memulakan komunikasi jelik terhadap Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob dan kerajaan akan diteruskan 9 Oktober.
Lokman Adam bebas tuduhan sebar berita palsu mengenai vaksin, COVID-19
Hakim membuat keputusan itu setelah mendapati pihak pembelaan telah berjaya menimbulkan keraguan munasabah terhadap kes yang dihadapi Lokman.
Bicara kes komunikasi jelik Lokman Adam bermula September
Perbicaraan Lokman Noor Adam yang didakwa membuat dan memulakan komunikasi jelik terhadap Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob dan kerajaan akan bermula September ini.
Noh yang sebenarnya kaki bodek - Isham
Isham Jalil membidas kenyataan bekas pemimpin parti itu, Tan Sri Noh Omar yang mendakwa UMNO kini hanya tinggal kaki bodek, kalah dalam pemilihan ketua bahagian dan cawangan.
Bicara kes saman Ismail Sabri terhadap Lokman Adam bermula 29 Jan 2024
Mahkamah Tinggi menetapkan tiga hari bermula 29 Jan tahun depan untuk perbicaraan kes saman bekas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob terhadap bekas Ahli MT UMNO Datuk Lokman Noor Adam.
Pemecatan batal, Lokman Adam kembali jadi Ahli MKT
Perkara tersebut dimaklumkan Timbalan Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan kepadanya melalui panggilan telefon.
Tindakan bawa Ketua Cawangan pergi bercuti tidak perlu dipertikaikan - Hasrul
Khidmat mereka ini adalah secara sukarelawan dan bukannya mendapat gaji tetap setiap bulan, jelas Hasrul
Saman fitnah Ismail Sabri terhadap Lokman Adam mungkin dapat diselesaikan tanpa perbicaraan
Saman fitnah yang difailkan Ismail Sabri terhadap Lokman mungkin akan diselesaikan tanpa perbicaraan.
Lokman Adam kekal dipenjara sebulan hina mahkamah berkaitan kes 1MDB
Lokman Adam kekal dipenjara sebulan selepas didapati bersalah menghina mahkamah kerana mengugut saksi pendakwaan dalam perbicaraan kes 1MDB.