Anwar’s counsel rushes to file petition of appeal

(NST) – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s lawyer has to file his petition to appeal at the Federal Court registry by 5pm tomorrow after his law firm Karpal Singh and Co failed to obtain an extension in filing the petition.

As the deadline to file the petition is tomorrow, the two-week extension was sought after Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh passed away in a car accident on Apr 17.

Lawyer Zaleha al-Hayat, who represented Karpal, applied for the extension through a letter sent to the court registry late yesterday afternoon.

However, she said the letter was rejected as Federal Court senior registrar Nor Kamilah Aziz informed her the request for an extension needed to be filed through a notice of motion and not through a letter.

“We (law firm) have decided that we will not be filing a notice of motion as it will surpass the deadline to file the appeal petition.

“So, we are going ahead and filing the petition.”

Zaleha, when contacted by the New Straits Times, also said Ramkarpal Singh was currently preparing the petition of appeal.

Veteran lawyer Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah will replace the late Karpal in leading the appeal.

On Aug 7, 2008 at the Sessions Court, Anwar, 67, claimed trial to sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 29, at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara condominium, No. 99, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26 the same year.

The High Court ordered Anwar to enter his defence on May 16, 2011.‎ He was later acquitted and discharged on Jan 9, 2012.

The prosecution filed an appeal against the verdict on Jan 20, 2012.

On March 7, the Court of Appeal convicted Anwar and sentenced him to five years’ jail. He later managed to get a stay of execution.

Anwar is appealing against his conviction and the prosecution is cross-appealing for a higher jail term.