Lokman Adam fails to set aside jail term for intimidating witness in 1MDB trial

PUTRAJAYA: Former Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam (pic) has failed to set aside his one-month jail sentence for intimidating a witness in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

This follows a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel, chaired by Justice Kamaludin Md Said, that dismissed Lokman’s bid at the Court of Appeal here on Wednesday (Oct 26).

Other judges on the panel were Justice Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, who read the decision, and Justice Nordin Hassan.

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“We find there is no error with the decision by the High Court. There was clearly an intention to disrupt justice (by the contemnor),” Justice Che Mohd Ruzima said.

Lokman had appealed against a July 15, 2021 High Court decision that convicted and sentenced him for contempt of court in intimidating Najib’s former special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, a key witness in the RM2.28bil 1MDB trial.

ALSO READ: Lokman Adam gets one month’s jail for intimidating witness in 1MDB trial

The appellate court panel also dismissed a cross appeal by the prosecution which sought to increase Lokman’s one-month jail sentence.

“A sentence passed by the High Court should not be easily ‘touched’ at the appellate level unless there is proof that the sentence is excessive.

“There are no reasonable grounds for us to correct the sentence. We unanimously find the sentence by the High Court judge as appropriate and reasonable.

“We dismiss both appeals (by the prosecution and the appellant) on the sentence,” Justice Che Mohd Ruzima said.

More to come