THE Kuala Lumpur High Court will hear on March 13 the contempt case against former Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam should he fail in his appeal to set aside the committal proceedings initiated by Attorney-General Tommy Thomas.

Defence counsel Syahirah Hanapiah of Messrs Shafee & Co told the court that the Court of Appeal will hear on March 5 Lokman’s appeal against a January 14 high court ruling which dismissed Lokman’s application to set aside the leave obtained by Thomas.

Thomas is seeking a court order for Lokman to be sent to jail or fined for contempt for allegedly threatening a Najib Razak trial witness, Amhari Efendi, on September 25 last year.

Amhari was the special officer to the accused in the case of the defrauding of 1MDB.

Lokman previously argued that the cause papers filed by the attorney-general were vague and had failed to provide the specific provision empowering the high court to commence committal proceedings against him.

Presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ruled, however, that the court was satisfied that the facts and nature of the alleged contempt were sufficiently explained.

Sequerah today set March 9 for affidavits to be filed. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustafa P. Kunyalam represented the A-G’s Chambers. Lokman was not present in court today.

The high court on October 22 last year granted leave for Thomas to proceed.

The attorney-general said Lokman, in a video interview, “uttered words constituting an express or implied threat” against witness Amhari for giving evidence in the Najib trial.

On the same day, Lokman lodged a police report against Amhari.

Thomas said Lokman intended to harass and intimidate Amhari and other witnesses as well as any potential witnesses who might come forward to give evidence against the accused in the trial. – February 21, 2020.