Ex-Umno leader Lokman charged with spreading false news

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam is facing two charges of spreading false news through social media.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges before judge MM Edwin Paramjothy in the sessions court here today.

Lokman is alleged to have used Facebook with the intention of causing public unrest at 10.55pm on May 3 by spreading false news that Indian citizens entering the country were causing the spread of Covid-19 .

He is also alleged to have used the same account at 10.38pm on April 9 to spread false news that a police officer in Pahang died moments after his second Covid-19 vaccination, although he had died due to a cardiac arrest.

The postings were read at the cybercrime and multimedia investigation division office of the commercial crime investigation department at Bukit Aman on April 11 and May 9.

The offences, under Section 4 (1)of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021, carry a fine of not more than RM100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years, or both, if convicted.

Deputy public prosecutor Kalmizah Salleh proposed bail of RM30,000 for each charge and for Lokman to surrender his passport to the court.

Lokman’s lawyer, Logen Eskander, appealed for a lower bail as his client was unemployed and had to support 11 children, eight of whom were studying.

He said Lokman was only helping his wife to sell satay.

“There is no reason for the court to keep the passport because the country’s borders are still closed,” Logen said.

Edwin allowed Lokman to be released on bail of RM20,000 in one surety for both charges.

The case will be mentioned again on Nov 25. — Free Malaysia Today