Anwar’s sodomy trial adjourned to 2.30pm

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s defence team will return to the High Court this afternoon to proceed with arguments to delay the trial after winning an appointment with the Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff tomorrow to fix a date to review the Federal Court’s decision on their application to seek more evidence.

Anwar’s lawyer Sankara Nair said Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi was not in office today but has directed Allaudin to meet the team tomorrow in Putrajaya.

“We there will be back to the KL High Court at 2.30pm and proceed with our stay arguments,” Nair said in a text message to The Malaysian Insider.

The High Court has earlier agreed to adjourn Anwar’s sodomy trial to allow his lawyers to get a date to review a Federal Court ruling that upheld earlier decisions to disallow him from obtaining additional evidence for his case.

“It is important that every opportunity be given to the defence to exhaust all avenues,” said veteran lawyer Karpal Singh, who is on Anwar’s defence team.

Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah allowed Karpal’s application to adjourn the trial to 2.30pm.

Anwar is accused of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan on June 26, 2008 at a posh condominium in the exclusive Bukit Damansara suburb in Kuala Lumpur. He has denied the charge, saying it’s a conspiracy similar to his first charge in 1998.

The 63-year-old Opposition Leader was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, that was held by his wife, in a by-election in 2008. He had earlier led the opposition Pakatan Rakyat to a historic sweep of four states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

But he was then mired with the accusation from 24-year-old Saiful, whom Anwar dismissively said was just a “coffee boy”.

The case has been delayed as Anwar’s lawyers tried unsuccessfully to obtain evidence they said was necessary for his defence.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers said they have given all relevant documents and evidence as required by law but Anwar lawyer Sankara Nair, who defended Anwar for his first sodomy charge in 1998, said it was “abuse of due process”.

His legal team is led by noted lawyer Raja Aziz Addruse, who also led the team in 1998, and Karpal who is also national chairman of the DAP, an ally in Anwar’s Pakatan Rakyat coalition that also includes PAS.

Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister and finance minister by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in September 1998 after allegations of sodomy and abuse of power circulated within the ruling Umno party.

He then led an 18-day “Reformasi” campaign against Mahathir but was soon arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) before being prosecuted for sodomising his driver and for corruption.