PUTRAJAYA, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- The sodomy trial of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will proceed this afternoon, his lead counsel Karpal Singh said.
He told reporters after meeting Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff here that Alauddin would set a date by this week for a review of the Federal Court's decision to strike out the appeal by Anwar to obtain certain documents from the prosecution to prepare his defence.
Among those who met Alauddin in his chambers this morning were the defence team comprising Karpal Singh, S.N. Nair, Datuk Param Cumaraswamy, C.V. Prabhakaran and Ram Karpal Singh, and the prosecution, headed by Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden.
"Alauddin said he would try his best to give us the date by the end of the week. In the meanwhile, the trial goes on at 2.30pm. That is the position at the moment," Karpal said.
Anwar's legal team had yesterday morning filed an application for a review of the Jan 29 Federal Court decision.
Karpal also said the defence would be filing a motion in the Court of Appeal by tomorrow for a stay of the sodomy trial pending the hearing by the same court of Anwar's appeal to strike out the sodomy charge.
"At the moment the trial will go on, and in the midst of it, it may be adjourned especially if the court gives us the date by Friday. We want to have all outstanding matters cleared so that the trial could proceed smoothly once and for all.
"Since that is the position, I think we do the necessary and get on with it," Karpal said.
On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur High Court Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, who was informed of the review application, fixed the hearing of the trial at 2.30pm today after rejecting a bid by Anwar to stay the trial.
Anwar, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor and Permatang Pauh MP, is accused of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at Unit 11-5-1, Kondominium Desa Damansara, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 20 years' jail and whipping, if convicted.
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