Lokman, four others charged over fracas with UM students and journalist

Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam was today slapped with three charges at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates' Court over last Friday's fracas with Universiti Malaya students.

For the first charge, Lokman, 47, was accused of intentionally causing losses to 23-year-old student leader Wong Yan Ke, by tearing the latter's placard at a bus stop opposite Amjal Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur.

The charge, under Section 426 of the Penal Code for committing mischief, carries a maximum jail term of five years and a fine upon conviction.

On the second charge, Lokman and four others were accused under Section 323 for voluntarily causing hurt to Wong by grabbing his jaw and pulling his neck from behind.

The four others are Petaling Jaya Umno chief Abdul Mutalif Abdul Rahim, Lembah Pantai Umno office clerk Salmon Arif Budiman Muchlis, 47, law firm runner Mohd Norzakifah Mohamed Nawi, 43, and an unnamed fourth accused, who is still at large.

All five were also jointly charged for voluntarily causing hurt to Wong by pulling his hair from behind.

Mutalif, the brother of former Tabung Haji chairperson Abdul Azeez, also faces another charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code for allegedly causing hurt to Malaysiakini journalist Siti Mariam Mohamad.

He was also given an alternative charge for the same offence under Section 352 for using criminal force to cause hurt to the victim's right thumb.

Under Section 323, anyone found guilty can be punished with a maximum of a year's jail, a fine of RM2,000, or both, while Section 352 carries a maximum three-month jail term, a fine of RM1,000, or both.

'Not guilty'

Lokman, Mutalif, Salmon and Norzakifah entered a plea of not guilty in front of magistrate Umzarul An Nur Umar, and claimed trial.

Deputy public prosecutor Adam Mohamed @ Mamat offered no bail for Lokman's placard-tearing charge, as it is a non-bailable offence. 

For the other offences, he suggested bail of RM10,000 with one surety for each of the accused.

Defence counsel N Logendran, however, asked for Lokman to be allowed bail for the first charge, arguing that the Umno leader is the sole breadwinner for a family of 10 children, with his wife expecting an 11th.

"I believe that he is now jobless, and he has to provide for his big family. He would at times get invited to give ceramah, which allows him to obtain some income to support his family.

"It is like 'kais pagi makan pagi' (barely making ends meet)," Logendran told the court.

'Not of high value'

Another of Lokman's lawyers, Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, also pleaded to the magistrate to use her discretion and allow his client bail. 

As Khairul told the court, Section 426 was made a non-bailable offence as it usually involves high-valued properties or valuables.

"If we look at the act, the examples (used) include valuable collaterals such as rings, or insurance policies in the form of ships, or horses," he said.

"These are items that are of high value. The value of these things was the reason (the offence) is non-bailable. This is in contrast with the accused's case."

Khairul argued that the cardboard placard allegedly destroyed by Lokman was of little value, and that the artist behind the caricature on the placard had been convicted in a separate court.

After considering the pleas, the magistrate set RM5,000 bail with one surety against Lokman for the placard charge.

She also set RM2,000 bail with one surety for each of the other charges against all the accused, with condition that they do not disturb the victims until end of the case.

The case is set for mention on May 16.

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