KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Lokman Noor Adam was today acquitted and discharged by the Sessions Court on one charge of spreading fake news on Covid-19 two years ago.
Sessions Court judge N. Priscilla Hemamalini freed Lokman Noor after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
"Therefore, the summoned person is acquitted and discharged from the charge," she said.
Lokman Noor, who was standing outside the dock, thanked the court for the decision.
On Oct 1, 2021, Lokman Noor, who is Umno supreme council member, was accused of using his own Facebook account under the name 'Lokman Adam' with the intention of causing concern to the public.
The father of 11 was accused of posting a live video commenting on the alleged arrival of Indian nationals that caused the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the country.
The content was read by another Facebook user at the Cyber Crime and Multimedia Investigation Division, Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), Bukit Aman police headquarters here about 4.40pm on June 9.
Lokman Noor was subsequently charged under Section 4(1) of the Emergency Ordinance (Essential Powers) (No 2) 2021.
On June 23 this year, another Sessions Court freed Lokman Noor on the charge of spreading fake news on the death of policeman Assistant Commissioner Shariman Saidin.
Shariman was later confirmed to have died from a heart attack and not from any complication due to the Covid-19 vaccine.
Judge Nor Hasniah Ab Razak in her judgement said the court found no prima facie case established against the accused.
After proceedings, Lokman Noor said he was grateful as this was the second time he was acquitted and discharged.
"I should not have been charged in the first place. The prosecution witness had said that this case was a waste of time and there were no statements that I had made were factually untrue or wrong which enabled me to be charged.
"Therefore, a lot of the court's time had been used and wasted," he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Datin Kalmizah Salleh prosecuted while Logen Eskander appeared for Lokman Noor.
