Anwar prosecutors to ask A-G to appeal sodomy acquittal
(The Malaysian Insider) – The prosecuting team will recommend to the Attorney-General (A-G) that an appeal be filed against Monday’s High Court decision to acquit Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from a charge of sodomising his former aide.
Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who was lead prosecutor in the trial, told TV3 tonight that he would recommend a review of the decision.
“With all the evidence, I will recommend to the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail a review of the case and to consider an appeal of the decision of the High Court of Kuala Lumpur,” he told TV3.
He added that prosecutors would first apply for the written judgment to undergo a review of the grounds before proceeding with any appeal.
On Monday, the High Court acquitted Anwar of a charge of sodomising his former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Judge Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah ruled that the prosecution had not done enough to prove Anwar had committed sodomy against Saiful.
“The court could not rule 100 per cent that the DNA samples were not compromised. Without that, the court is reluctant to convict the accused based on the evidence of SP1. (SP1, which stands for prosecution witness one, refers to Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.)
“Therefore the accused is acquitted,” he ruled on Monday.
