Prosecution raised ‘juicy’ details for media attention: Anwar

PUTRAJAYA — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim doused the prosecution team’s Sodomy II submissions today (Oct 31) in cold water, saying they had failed to counter his lawyers’ arguments on DNA evidence tampering and merely spoke on the “juicy” details of the case to gain media fame.

Anwar, who was speaking to reporters after the federal court adjourned today’s hearing to next week, said the prosecution was supposed to directly reply to issues raised by his team, instead of prattling on about other things.

“My understanding of (legal) practice is that he (lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah) should answer issues raised by my defence counsel.

“What he has done is put the juicy parts for TV3 and Utusan to highlight and cover,” he said, referring to two prominent Umno-owned media organisations.

On the flip side, Anwar said his team of lawyers had done an “impressive” job by laying down the facts and relying on the law to back their arguments.

He said on the issue of DNA tampering, Shafee had merely repeated old arguments that he claimed his lawyers have already “destroyed”.

During submissions today, Shafee first spent time attacking Anwar before recounting in explicit detail the in-camera testimony by complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan on the alleged sodomy incident.

As alleged proof of Anwar’s relationship with Saiful, Shafee pointed out that the opposition leader had been particularly generous towards his former aide, giving him a generous allowance, a room of his own and even showering him with expensive clothes.

“He (Saiful) is given a room of his own, this dropout... the other staff were not.

“The accused (Anwar) gave him many clothes... including letting him use (Anwar’s) Brioni suit which is more expensive than any other suit known.

“In fact even I (Shafee) don’t have that kind of suit,” Shafee told the federal court.

Shafee also said the youth’s account of the sodomy incident shows that he had been dominated by his former boss into “submission”.

The lawyer then repeated Saiful’s narrative on the day the alleged sodomy act took place when Anwar purportedly asked, “Can I f*** you today?”

Anwar, who is the Permatang Pauh MP, was charged with sodomy for the second time after Saiful, his former aide, complained of being sodomised by the politician at the Desa Damansara condominium in upscale Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008.

Shafee also said that Saiful’s testimony indicated that he was sodomised by Anwar even before June 26.

“He (Anwar) did it roughly, for five minutes... as usual. He then ejaculated into my anus,” the lawyer repeated from Saiful’s testimony.

He said the court cannot ignore the use of the words “as usual” in the testimony.

Today was the fourth day of Anwar’s challenge of the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn a lower court’s decision to acquit him of the charge.

The High Court had in 2012 acquitted Anwar of the 2008 charge but the appellate court ruled on March 7 this year that the trial judge had erred when rejecting the DNA evidence produced in the case.

Anwar has repeatedly maintained his innocence, insisting that the charges were trumped up to kill his political career as he allegedly poses a threat to the Barisan Nasional coalition’s decades-long rule with the Pakatan Rakyat alliance, which he now leads.

If Anwar fails to reverse his five-year imprisonment sentence and conviction in the federal court, he would lose his seat as the law bars anyone fined RM2,000 (S$778.20) or imprisoned for one year from serving as a lawmaker.

Today’s hearing was presided over by a five-member panel led by Chief Justice Tun Ariffin Zakaria. Others include Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif and federal court judges Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Embong, Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datuk Ramly Ali, who replaced Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop.

Anwar is represented by a 14-man defence team led by former federal court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram. Others include lawyers R. Sivarasa, Latheefa Koya, N. Surendran and Gobind Singh Deo.

Lawyers from the prosecution team are Shafee and deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria.

The court adjourned hearing this afternoon and will resume on Monday with Shafee’s submissions. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE