Will he be freed or jailed?

The Star
by CHELSEA L.Y. NG AND M. MAGESWARI

PETALING JAYA: Any court case involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will see an avid audience waiting for juicy details and twists and turns.

Today, a curious crowd is expected in Putrajaya as the Federal Court is set to pronounce its verdict on the 67-year-old’s final appeal against his second sodomy case.

There are four likely scenarios.

> His appeal will dismissed and he will be jailed five years;

> The appeal will be allowed and he will be acquitted;

> The Federal Court could hear the prosecution’s appeal for a heavier sentence and Anwar may end up serving a longer jail term; and

> Contempt proceedings may be initiated against Anwar.

Lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said he had filed written submissions to the apex court yesterday for an enhanced jail term against Anwar.

“It is filed only in the event if the court finds him guilty. If he is (found to be) not guilty, it becomes irrelevant,” he said.

On the possible contempt proceedings, Muhammad Shafee said he had not received any further instructions from the Attorney-General over the matter.

“We will see the verdict first,” he said.

Anwar’s co-counsel Latheefa Koya, however, is confident of the PKR leader’s acquittal based on the way the eight-day appeal went.

“There were three parts of submissions (tendered in court for his acquittal). We attacked the credibility of his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

“These three (main) points were in Anwar’s favour, among other issues raised which could not be answered by the prosecution,” she said.

On the possible contempt, she said had not heard any news.

“Maybe, they are also hoping to see the outcome,” she quipped.

Anwar’s two sodomy trials have been keenly followed, mainly because of the raunchy bits and scandalous details.

In the first case in 1999, a mattress was presented to court, supposedly stained with Anwar’s semen.

This was submitted as DNA evidence of Anwar’s sexual acts. Anwar denied having anything to do with the mattress, although the DNA tests came out positive.

Months before that, a book, 50 Dalil Kenapa Anwar Tidak Boleh Jadi PM (50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Become Prime Minister) was circulated among members of the Umno General Assembly, containing graphic allegations as well as accusations of corruption against Anwar.

The details from the book were also used in the trial.

He was then found guilty of having sodomised his family driver Azizan Abu Bakar at Tivoli Villa here in 1994 and sentenced to nine years’ jail by the High Court on Aug 8, 2000.

On Sept 2, 2004, the Federal Court overturned the conviction and acquitted him.

In Sodomy II, in 2008, the Opposition Leader was accused of sodomising his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Even in the recent appeal hearing in the Federal Court, sexually scintillating bits were aired.

Anwar’s lawyers took a jibe at Saiful’s evidence on the use of KY jelly lubricant. His lawyer argued that Saiful had told the High Court that the act was vigorous and fast and he suffered pain in his anus and stomach which should not happen if lubricant was used.