Sodomy II verdict on Jan 9
High Court Judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah will deliver his decision on Anwar Ibrahim’s case on Jan 9.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will know his fate on Jan 9 next year after the defence and prosecution wrapped up the Sodomy II case today.
High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah said he would deliver the verdict after hearing the final submissions this morning.
Three years ago, Anwar was charged with having sodomised Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former aide, then 22.
Anwar pleaded not guilty to the offence, allegedly committed at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008.
The PKR de facto leader is facing a maximum of 20 years in prison and whipping, if found guilty under Section 377B of the Penal Code.
This is the second time he was accused of sodomy.
In 1998, Anwar lost his deputy prime minister’s post after he was charged with corruption and sodomising his family driver.
He was freed in 2004 after six years of imprisonment when the Federal Court overturned the sodomy conviction.
It took almost a year for the Sodomy II trial to start, after a number of delays due to several applications by Anwar’s lawyers that went to the Federal Court.
Among others, the main applications were to quash the charge, seeking key documents they claimed were denied, and to recuse the sitting judge.
The prosecution had called 27 witnesses, including Saiful.
Prima facie case
There were three doctors from the KL Hospital who examined Saiful two days after the alleged incident.
The prosecution also relied heavily on the findings of two chemists, Dr Seah Lay Hong and Nor Aidora Saedon, whose testimonies showed that the DNA profile of “male Y” found in the anus of Saiful was Anwar’s.
On May 16, Mohamad Zabidin ordered Anwar to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case.
He ruled that Saiful was a “credible” and “truthful” witness whose testimony was corroborated by the evidence of expert witnesses, including doctors and chemists.
