Court sets Dec 12 and 13 for sodomy trial submissions

(Bernama) — The High Court here has set new dates, Dec 12 and 13, for submissions at the end of the defence case of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial.

Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah set the dates after meeting both the prosecution and defence teams in his chambers on Tuesday after Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh wrote to the court this morning requesting the matter be postponed to Monday.

Karpal when met at the court complex, said Mohamd Zabidin had vacated the Dec 8 and 9 dates earlier set by the court.

“The judge allowed our application after strong objection from the prosecution where DPP Wong (Wong Keng Kiat) had contended that enough time was given to the defence and there was no valid reason for further extension,” added Karpal.

However, he said, the defence needed some time, especially to transcribe the notes of the proceedings involving two expert witnesses from Australia.

They were DNA expert Dr Brian Leslie McDonald and forensic expert Dr David Lawrence Noel Wells.

This was the third time that new dates were set by the court, the first being for Nov 23 and 24 after the defence requested for extension of time to file their submissions, stating they would not be able to complete transcribing the notes of the proceedings on time.

Anwar, 64, claimed trial to a charge of committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature at Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.