Ex-IGP Musa withdraws “black eye” suit against Anwar

(The Star) – Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has withdrawn his suit against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the Opposition leader’s allegation that he fabricated evidence during investigations into the “black eye” incident in 1998.

Counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamarudin, acting for Musa, told High Court judge Justice Asmabi Mohamad Tuesday that his client was withdrawing the suit.

The suit had been fixed for trial Tuesday, over three days.

Later, Musa told reporters that both parties had discussed the issue and he was made to understand that there was a misunderstanding over his role in the case against Anwar and he accepted an out-of-court settlement.

In his statement of claim filed on July 21, 2008, Musa said the allegation was baseless, untrue and had tarnished his personal reputation, image, sincerity and good name.

Musa filed the suit three weeks after Anwar lodged a police report against him.

The PKR leader, in his police report lodged on July 1, 2008, claimed that Musa and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had fabricated evidence and hidden facts in the investigation into the physical assault on him by the then IGP Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor, in 1998.

Musa further contended that Anwar acted with bad intentions in lodging the report against him.

He said Anwar’s police report, in its natural and ordinary meaning, alleged that he had misused his power to fabricate evidence.

He contended that Anwar had committed defamation repeatedly when he allowed the report to be reproduced on several websites, including his own blog, which was accessible to the public.

Musa sought an unspecified amount in damages for slander and an injunction restraining Anwar, his servants or his agents from further publishing the alleged defamatory words, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.