Sessions Court Or High Court: Anwar Has To Wait 5 March

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has to wait until Wednesday (5 March) to know whether his sodomy trial will be retained in the Sessions Court or transferred to the High Court.

High Court judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah will decide then on the prosecution's application for a revision to quash the Sessions Court's decision to retain the trial in the Sessions Court.

Justice Mohamad Zabidin set the date after hearing submissions from deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden, who led the prosecution team, and Anwar's lead counsel, Sulaiman Abdullah.

The prosecution filed for a revision as well as an appeal on 7 Nov last year against the Sessions Court's dismissal of the prosecution's application to transfer the case to the High Court after ruling that the transfer certificate, signed by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, was invalid.

The defence had challenged the validity of the transfer certificate because Abdul Gani was still under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency following a police report lodged by Anwar on alleged falsification of evidence pertaining to the "black eye" incident.

Anwar, who was exempted from attending the hearing, is charged with sodomising his former aide, 23-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on 26 June.

If convicted, Anwar, 62, faces imprisonment of up to 20 years under Section 377B of the Penal Code. He is now free on a personal bond of RM20,000. (Bernama)