Defence's focus on medical reports, Saiful's credibility

By S Rutra - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's credibility will come under scrutiny when Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial resumes tomorrow.
Among others, counsel Karpal Singh told FMT that Mohd Saiful must explain his allegation of not defecating for two days after being allegedly sodomised by Anwar.

"He really needs to answer his allegation that he did not pass motion for two days,” he said.

Karpal said Mohd Saiful will also be grilled on who were the people he came into contact with before lodging his police report.

Apart from this, the former aide to Anwar will also be questioned on the three medical reports, from Tawakal, Pusrawi and Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

"There will be no further delay in this trial, since everyone is eager to hear more from him (Mohd Saiful) who has made all kind allegations against Anwar," Karpal said, adding that the focus will be on the witness' credibility.

Karpal said the defence team might use the entire five-day trial period to zero in on Mohd Saiful because there are many issues to be covered.

Medical experts

On the three experts hired by the defence team, Karpal said they will be present in court when the prosecution calls their expert witness on the DNA issue.

The three are DNA expert Dr Brian Leslie McDonald from Sydney, Australia, and two forensic experts Prof Dr C Damodaran from Chennai, India and Assoc Prof David Lawrence Noel Wells from Melbourne, Australia.

Anwar, 63, is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful, 25, at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

He is charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code and faces up to 20 years' in jail and whipping upon conviction.

In his opening statement, Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin, who is heading the prosecution team, had told the court that the prosecution would adduce evidence to show that the semen specimen taken from Mohd Saiful's anus was confirmed by the Chemistry Department to be Anwar's.

Anwar is represented by Karpal, Param Cumaraswamy, CV Prabakharan, Ram Karpal Singh Deo, SN Nair, Mohd Radzlan Jalaludin and Marisa Regina Fernando.

Meanwhile, Mohd Yusof is assisted by seven deputy public prosecutors, Nordin Hassan, Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria, Wong Chiang Kiat, Noorin Badaruddin, Farah Azlina Latiff, Mira Mirna Musa and Naidatul Athirah Azmad.
Anwar, who was jailed for a similar offence in 1999, has claimed, like before, that the current charge against him is part of a political conspiracy.