Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian opposition leader
Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday denounced sodomy charges against him
claiming that they were trumped up by his rivals as his
accuser gave an explicit testimony during the trial that could
jeopardise the former deputy premier's political career.
The charges were "trumped up by political masters using
the prosecution for that purpose," 62-year-old Anwar, who is
PKR party's adviser and MP from Permatang Pauh, told the High
Court.
The trial was adjourned with the judge granting a defence
request for accuser Mohd Saiful to continue his testimony
in-camera tomorrow.
25-year-old Saiful, a former aide of Anwar, was the first
witness to take stand today. He claimed that Anwar asked him
to have sex with him after he went to his apartment on June
26, 2008 to deliver a document.
The accuser gave graphic testimony of what allegedly
happened in a condominium two years ago, following which it
was decided that the hearing will be held in-camera from
tomorrow.
Anwar faced a similar charge a decade ago when he was
deputy premier in Mahathir Mohammad's Cabinet.
He was sentenced to nine years in jail for sodomy and a
separate corruption charge and was released in 2004 after the
conviction was overturned.
The trial comes after Saiful lodged a police complaint in
2008 alleging that Anwar had sodomised him.
Anwar, who pleaded not guilty, said yesterday that he
planned to subpoena Prime Minister Najib Razak to testify in
the trial, accusing the premier and wife Rosmah Mansor of
conspiring to frame him.
Sodomy carries a maximum 20-year jail sentence in
Malaysia, even when it occurs between two consenting adults.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 03, 2010, 19:03