Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian prosecutor reportedly having an affair with the man who accused opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy has been removed from Anwar's trial in a twist that lawyers warned Wednesday undermine the prosecution's integrity.
Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was reported as saying late yesterday that deputy public prosecutor Farah Azlina Latif has been removed not because she is guilty of any
wrongdoing, but to protect the credibility of the eight-man prosecution team in Anwar's trial.
The online Malaysia Today news portal recently reported a romantic link between Farah and Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a male former aide whose sodomy accusations against Anwar have been dismissed by the opposition leader as a government plot to thwart his political bloc.
"We take it seriously and there is no compromise whatsoever on matters of etiquette," Gani was reported as saying by the local media. Gani and other prosecutors could not be reached today for further comments.
Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair said today that the defense was shocked by the news and demanded a thorough probe into the alleged affair.
"If there is truth in the allegation, then there will be serious implication on the prosecution's integrity," he warned.
Gani has said Farah Azlina was a junior member of the team, and has no access to investigation papers or any confidential information.
The trial is set to resume August 2.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, July 28, 2010, 14:50