Confident, Anwar says no nail in the coffin yet in Sodomy II battle

(Malay Mail Online) – After eight gruelling days in court, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emerged today more confident than ever that he will soon walk free of his sodomy charges.

The Opposition Leader told reporters outside the Federal Court this afternoon that he believes his team of “superb lawyers” had successfully destroyed the prosecution’s case during submissions over the past week, presenting arguments that he said would likely result in victory.

“I’m not in the coffin. There is no nail,” he said after the court wrapped up his appeal hearing and postponed judgment to a later date.

“I am extremely grateful to my team of superb lawyers… cannot forget the brilliant role the late Karpal Singh, now (Datuk Seri) Gopal (Sri Ram), Gobind, Ramkarpal played,” the PKR de facto chief said, listing out the names of his defence lawyers.

“Blessed…they have destroyed the case of the prosecution.”

“I have no worries,” he added.

Anwar also attacked the prosecution in the case, and urged the authorities to stop using “obsolete and draconian” laws to punish the innocent.

“The attitude of the prosecution is so vile,  malicious. Here is a man (referring to himself) just waiting for a decision on whether to be acquitted or to go to jail,” he said.

Today was the eighth and final day for Anwar’s Sodomy II appeal at the Federal Court.

Anwar’s lead counsel Gopal was the last to submit and wrapped up the defence case shortly after hearing resumed at 3pm this afternoon.

Lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah then sought the court’s permission to reply to defence arguments but this was shot down by Chief Justice Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, who is heading the five-man Federal Court panel.

CJ Arifin told Shafee that unless the defence had raised a new point during submissions, there was no longer a need to reply.

“We are exhausted,” he said.

In response, Shafee said the point he intended to raise was “the distinction between submission and consent”.

But his request was rejected and CJ Arifin subsequently postponed judgment to a date to be announced later, saying the panel needs more time to consider the submissions.

The Federal Court was hearing today Anwar’s challenge of the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn a lower court’s decision to acquit him of the charge.

The High Court had in 2012 acquitted Anwar of the 2008 charge 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, he would lose his seat as the law bars anyone fined RM2,000 or imprisoned for one year from serving as a lawmaker.