Anwar’s sodomy 2 decision expected this month, says Shafee

(The Rakyat Post) – The decision on the final appeal by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the charge of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan six years ago, is expected to be delivered this month.

Lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said that he should have got the decision date sooner, but it might have been delayed due to several other factors.

“Well the Justices should be giving us a hint (on the decision date). There is a possibility all five of them are writing their own judgement.

“This could result in a delay as all five are supposed to have a meeting to deliberate before coming to a decision,” he told The Rakyat Post today.

Shafee, however, felt confident that a decision could be reached by the end of the month as he felt the panel of Justices would not be delaying the decision any further.

On Nov 7 last year, the Federal Court in wrapping up the hearing appeal informed that it needed the time to review the submissions posted by both the prosecution and defence teams with regard to issues raised during the appeal.

“Given the facts presented, we will take some time. We will postpone the decision to a date which will be determined later,” Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria, who led the panel of five judges, had said then.

The Court of Appeal previously found Anwar guilty and sentenced him to five years in prison before he was released on bail of RM10,000 in one surety pending his appeal.

The prosecution had also filed a cross-appeal seeking an increase in Anwar’s prison sentence should the apex court agree with the Court of Appeal’s decision.