Umno’s Lokman charged with spreading fake news on Covid-19

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to two charges of spreading false news through an audio-visual recording about vaccines and the spread of Covid-19.

Lokman, 48, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him before judge MM Edwin Paramjothy here yesterday.

According to the first and second charges, Lokman was accused of using a Facebook account under the profile name “Lokman Adam” with intention to cause public unrest by spreading false news through an audio-visual recording.

The recording was said to be on the entry of Indian nationals that caused the spread of Covid-19 and the death of a policeman linked to the vaccine.

He allegedly committed the offences at 10.55pm on May 3 and 10.38pm on April 9.

The two recordings were seen at the Cyber Crime and Multimedia Investigation Division Office, Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Bukit Aman police headquarters, level 27, Menara KPJ, here at 4.40pm on May 9 and at 8.55pm on April 11.

The charges under Section 4(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021 provide a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment up to three years or both, if convicted.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Datin Kalmizah Salleh offered bail at RM30,000 for each of the charges.

She also asked the court to impose an additional condition for the accused to surrender his passport to the court.

“We ask for the court to impose the condition as the Klang Valley will be entering the third phase of the National Recovery Plan and there is possibility that the borders will reopen soon,” Kalmizah said.

Lokman’s lawyer Logen Eskander, however, asked for a lower bail amount and said his client should not have to surrender his passport as the borders were still closed.

“My client is unemployed and now helping his wife sell satay while supporting their 11 children,” Logen said.

The court allowed Lokman bail at RM10,000 for each charge in one surety.

The case is fixed for mention on Nov 25.

Lokman, who was sacked from Umno on Feb 7 last year, was accepted back into the party as an ordinary member at the party’s supreme council meeting here on Wednesday.