Nov 22 : Case management of committal proceeding by AG against Lokman Noor

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8-- The High Court here today set Nov 22 for case management of the committal proceeding filed by Attorney-General (AG)  Tan Sri Tommy Thomas against UMNO Supreme Council Member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam for allegedly intimidating a witness in former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.

The witness is Najib’s former special officer, Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, who is one of the key witnesses in the case.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah set the date after  lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, representing  Lokman Noor, informed the court that the additional affidavit by the prosecution was only served to them last Nov 5.

"As such, we need time to study the affidavit  and will consider whether to apply to set aside the committal proceeding or to answer the affidavit,” he said.

Wan Aizuddin also apologized to the court for the absence of the lead lawyer in the case , Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, today as he had to go to the Shah Alam High Court to handle a murder case.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam,  acting on behalf of the AG, informed the court that the AG would amend the notice of motion on the committal proceeding.

Last Oct 22, Judge Sequerah granted leave for the AG to initiate committal proceeding  against Lokman Noor for contempt of court acts perpetrated on two occasions on Sept 25

In the application, the AG sought an order for Lokman Noor to be committed to prison or be fined for his actions.

The AG said that on that date (Sept 25) the respondent (Lokman Noor) in a video interview uttered words constituting an express or implied threat against the witness, Amhari Efendi, who was the special officer to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, for having given evidence against the accused in the criminal trial of public prosecutor against Najib at the High Court.

The AG said he would play the said video recording at the hearing of the application for leave and at the hearing of the substantive motion in the event leave is granted.

He  said on the same day, Lokman lodged the police report against Amhari Efendi, who was the eighth prosecution witness, in respect of the evidence given by him at Najib’s ongoing criminal trial.

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

-- BERNAMA