Anwar surprises with ex-Federal Court judge as lawyer in Sodomy II

(Malay Mail Online) – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made a surprise move in his appeal to the Federal Court against his sodomy conviction by appointing retired Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as his lawyer against the prosecution’s counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

The opposition leader said his lead counsel Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah was unwell due to a recent leg surgery a couple of months ago.

“Gopal approached us last week,” Anwar told reporters at the hearing here.

The PKR de facto leader said he was mentally prepared to accept any outcome from today’s Sodomy II appeal, but added that he has little hope for a positive verdict.

The Federal Court is set to hear today Anwar’s challenge of the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn a lower court’s decision to acquit him of sodomy.

The High Court had in 2012 acquitted Anwar of a 2008 sodomy charge — his second since 1998 — but the appellate court ruled on March 7 this year that the trial judge had erred when rejecting the DNA evidence produced in the case.

If Anwar fails to reverse his five-year imprisonment sentence and conviction in the Federal Court, the Permatang Pauh MP would lose his seat as the law bars anyone fined RM2,000 or imprisoned for one year from serving as a lawmaker.