PUTRAJAYA (Feb 14): Former Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam failed in his representation bid to set aside his conviction for intimidating a 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) witness and was sentenced to one month’s jail.
This was disclosed by his counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah during the 1MDB proceedings involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Tuesday (Feb 13).
However, Lokman’s final appeal before the Federal Court, scheduled on Wednesday, had to be deferred following the on-going 1MDB trial involving Najib at the High Court being given preference.
Shafee had indicated on Tuesday that he would need 1MDB trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah’s letter to the apex court to support the adjournment of Lokman’s hearing.
Following that, the apex court fixed April 4 for mention.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar confirmed the April 4 date for mention.
Lokman had sent a letter of representation in December to the Attorney-General's Chambers where Shafee indicated that if this was accepted the hearing of the appeal would not be necessary.
As a result, the Federal Court fixed Wednesday (Feb 14) for the court to be updated, and if (the letter of representation) failed, the hearing would proceed.
However, following the dismissal of the representation, it would be interesting to know what would be Lokman’s next step.
Lokman was found guilty of contempt in July 2021 by Justice Sequerah for intimidating Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, a 1MDB prosecution witness and former aide to Najib via a video posting in 2019.
He failed to set aside his conviction and sentence before a three-member Court of Appeal bench in October 2022.