Mr Saiful has told the court that he went to visit Mr Najib, then deputy prime minister, at his house on June 24th 2008—two days before the alleged incident—to talk with him about his own troubles. That an ordinary citizen should have been granted such access has stoked suspicions.
The Economist
PUTTING an opposition leader on trial inevitably carries a whiff of politics. When that leader is Anwar Ibrahim, and the charge is sodomy, the same accusation used in 1998 to wreck his political career and confine him to jail for six years, the whiff becomes a stink. Mr Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, is playing a familiar role in “Sodomy II”, as the newest case is known. He is in the dock again, but in the court of public opinion it is Malaysia’s judiciary and its political masters who face the judgment of a sceptical nation.
On May 10th the defence began its cross-examination of a former aide to Mr Anwar, Saiful Bukhari. In February he testified that Mr Anwar sodomised him in a borrowed flat on June 26th 2008. In Malaysia “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, even between consenting adults. A conviction would automatically bar Mr Anwar from politics for five years and send his parliamentary coalition into disarray.
Mr Saiful, now aged 25, is the prosecution’s star witness. Karpal Singh, the doughty chief defence lawyer and an opposition MP, began by asking about Mr Saiful’s acquaintance with the prime minister, Najib Razak. Mr Anwar’s team claims that a political conspiracy has been undertaken to discredit him. The government denies it strenuously. But the circumstances of Mr Saiful’s accusation remain murky.
Mr Saiful has told the court that he went to visit Mr Najib, then deputy prime minister, at his house on June 24th 2008—two days before the alleged incident—to talk with him about his own troubles. That an ordinary citizen should have been granted such access has stoked suspicions. On the very same day, Mr Saiful went to see a police officer who played a key role in “Sodomy I”. Later, according to Mr Saiful’s testimony, he spoke by phone with Malaysia’s senior cop. How did he get the number? asked Mr Singh. Overheard it from Mr Najib, came the rather feeble reply.
Other questions touched on the findings of the doctors who examined Mr Saiful. Two days after the alleged molestation, they found no sign of penetration. Another doctor wrote that the witness had inserted a plastic object into his backside. “Nothing wrong with your anus. Why all this fuss?” asked Mr Singh, crossly. Challenged over the medical reports, Mr Saiful protested that he could not see his own anus. The judge concurred.
Malaysians have grown used to such smut in the courtroom. Mr Anwar’s first trial featured a crusty mattress that the prosecution said was stained with his semen, proof of sodomy. Mr Anwar was released in 2004 only after it was ruled that testimony against him had been coerced. Four years later, as Mr Anwar prepared to stand for office again, with hopes of toppling a shaky government, Mr Saiful joined his campaign as a volunteer. Whatever the merits of his complaint, it is hard not to suspect a political hand at work. Mr Singh seems determined to reveal whose.
The trial has proved a distraction for Mr Anwar. His party has suffered a string of defections and lost a recent by-election. Another by-election looms in the important state of Sarawak on May 16th. The trial has forced Mr Anwar to cut short his campaigning. He has managed to keep up his foreign jaunts though, staying on the international stage, and chiding Mr Najib’s government for having hired an American lobbying firm to raise Malaysia’s profile.
In 1998, when Mr Anwar was first taken down, his supporters thronged the streets. Reactions this time have been more muted. Foreign governments took a dim view of Sodomy I; America’s vice president at the time, Al Gore, said it “mocked international standards of justice”. Twelve years ago Malaysia was teetering on the brink of financial ruin, and nervous foreign investors looked to Mr Anwar as a safer pair of hands. Fearing a power grab, the prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, sacked his uppity deputy and imposed capital controls. This time Malaysia’s finances are in fairly good shape and it is the rich world that is fretting over deficits. It may find less to say about Sodomy II.
Both government and private doctors filed reports saying they had found no evidence of forced penetration of the former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who was 23 at the time of the alleged offense. The prosecution, however, allege that they have additional evidence.In particular, Dr Mohamad Osman examined Saiful at Hospital Pusrawi Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur on June 28 of 2008 after he had gone to the hospital to complain about pain he said he was suffering in his anus. He allegedly told hospital personnel he had been assaulted by a “very important person.” Osman filed a report saying he found no evidence of penetration or scarring that would have occurred from forcible entry. The physician suggested that the youth obtain another diagnosis at a government hospital, where doctors also refused to confirm a diagnosis of sodomy. Nonetheless, Saiful filed the assault report at a nearby police kiosk four hours later.Session Court judge Komathy Suppiah will rule whether to hear the Sodomy II case or transfer it to the High Court as the prosecutors want.There is no real issue here because a transfer is an established procedure and even if she refuses, which is really going against established norm, the government can always appeal her decision and probably have it reversed.A higher court can reverse, her decision on appeal, if necessary, even on the same day.Anwar’s lawyers have argued that the transfer was signed by Attorney-General Ghani Patail whom Anwar is suing for fabricating evidence in the 1999 sodomy case which saw him imprisoned for six years for corruption.In 2000 Anwar was jailed an additional nine years for sodomy but the conviction was quashed in 2004 and he was freed after serving six years altogether. Meanwhile, the political ground is slipping under Anwar with the changes in Umno’s leadership and by extension that of the country.Abdullah had been kindest to Anwar among the top Umno leaders.Abdullah, who had also tried to use him to scare Umno into submission, is leaving for good having to make an announcement before Oct 9 whether he is offering himself to contest as Umno president. I was also Abdullah who Anwar had hoped to confound and stampede into handing over the government to him by triggering a mass exodus, a harebrained scheme that has since died under the weight of its own implausibility.That small window for Anwar – Abdullah’s willingness to play by the rules, an inherent sense of justice and fair play – has closed with the PrimeMinister’simpendingdeparture
He said this in response to a question from Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh during cross-examination.
Karpal had asked if Saiful had his bath on June 26, 2008 (the day of the alleged incident), to which the latter replied that he had done so in the morning.
Why: Did you wash your anus after the incident?
Saiful: I rinsed it.
Karpal: Why didn't you wash it?
Saiful: I wanted to keep the evidence.
The lawyer also asked why Saiful did not file a police report on the day of the incident or the next day, to which the complainant said: “I was afraid it would affect my future.”
He however said that when he eventually lodged the police report, it was on his own will.
Saiful says he was sodomised more than once]
READMORE Izzah; ANNWAR is still a threat to Barisan GHANI PATAIL SAYS IS OKAY FOR NAJIB TO ABUSE POWER, WHEN HE SENT THAT SMS,TO MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM
Yesterday, Saiful told the court that he had met Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak (who was then deputy premier) two days before June 26 to relate his ordeal.
When asked by Karpal to verify the facts in the news report, Saiful said there was an error pertaining to the part where he had mentioned that it was the first time he had been sodomised.
“I misinterpreted the question,” he added.
Visit to the condo
RELATED ARTICLE Justice may be delayed, but it can never be denied, deep down people despair at what is happening in their country
In the afternoon, the court visited the scene of the incident for an in-camera proceeding where Saiful is learnt to have described the alleged sodomy.Anwar, 63, is charged with sodomising Saiful, his former aide, at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and
4.30pm.
He is charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code and faces up to 20 years in jail and whipping if convicted. He was first charged in August 2008.
This morning, the court rejected Anwar's request for a stay of his sodomy trial pending his appeal against the dismissal of his application to obtain Saiful's witness statements.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah ruled that his decision to dismiss the application for the witness statements yesterday was procedural and could not be appealed.READMORE Sleepy head Abdullah want so much for the police to charge Anwar? Simple: because his Deputy, Najib Tun Razak, would invariably get dragged into this whole mess.
The defence had also failed to show special circumstances for the stay to be granted, he added.
The trial will resume on May 31.
From today's trial:
related article when the governmence effectiveness and rule of law. Voice and accountability,burning burning najib fiddle with sodomy2 directed by rosmah“ can we afford another Anwar prosecution”Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan?
Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan today revealed details of his separate meetings with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor, who was recently appointed senator.
Saiful told the High Court that Najib, who was then deputy prime minister, was initially sceptical about his allegation against Anwar Ibrahim, but this later turned to shock.
The meeting took place at the deputy premier's residence in Taman Duta on June 24, 2008, two days before the sodomy incident which led Saiful to file a police report against Opposition Leader Anwar.
PART 2 how did Ezam become Mahathir’s script writer? Mahathir need Ezam FINISH OFF ANWAR ,MAHATIR FAILED IN HIS Attempted murder
part3 EZAM WAS ALWAYS A MAHATHIR’S RECRUIT HIS SENATOR’SHIP APPOINTMENT CONFIRM HOW CLOSE EZAM AND MAHATHIR
Ezam, a former close confidant of Anwar since his days as deputy premier, had quit PKR after a fallout and since then has been on the warpath against his ex-boss.
The
April 29, 2010
It takethe evil UMNO TO recognise the evil dickface EZAM ,THE BEDSIDE STORY
Ezam said they went to great lengths to persuade him to change sides. When they failed, they compromised by agreeing that he remains in the opposition as long as he agreed to abandon Anwar. When they failed to also do this, he was packed off to Kamunting to start serving his two-year detention.
presence of so many foreign embassies attending Mr. Anwar’s show trial is a clear expression of international concern. This is an issue on which the world must speak out.
If his country is to take its place among the progressive nations of the world, it is crucial that the politically motivated charge against Mr. Anwar be dropped and that he be free to pursue his vision of a democratic Malaysia, properly respectful of human rights and international law.
Saiful, who was a former aide to the opposition leader, has claimed that he was sodomised by Anwar against his will at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur on June 26.readmore
readmoreMay be Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan was preparing his dossier rosmah& najib to renew his contract with the help of the carpetman
He has also claimed that it was not the first time that the man, whom he idolised, had done this to him.
Anwar, on the other hand, has described the charge as a political consipracy, similar to the one authored in 1998 which saw him jailed for sodomy.
Saiful also revealed details pertaining to his phone call to Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan a day before the incident and his meeting with another top cop Rodhwan Mohd Yusof.
Saiful, on the third day of cross-examination by Anwar's counsel Karpal Singh, said he first went to Najib's office in January 2008 to get a support letter for a study loan to enrol for a pilot course in Kota Baharu.
"At that time, I did not see the deputy prime minister and only met his special officer," he added.
30-minute meeting with Najib
Responding to another question, Saiful, 24, said he was taken to Najib's house on June 24 by the latter's ex-aide Khairil Anas.
“I went to Khairil's house to tell him about this (sodomy allegation), and he then took me to Najib's house,” he said, adding that they reached the latter's residence around 8pm.
Saiful said he then spent some 30 minutes relating his ordeal to the deputy prime minister during the meeting, where Khairil was also present.
Asked if Najib had offered him any advice, the star witness replied: “No”.
Apart from this, Saiful also revealed to the court that he had caught a glimpse of Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor at the house, but did not meet her personally.
He also denied meeting one 'Datuk Mumtaz' at Najib's house.
It is believed that Karpal was referring to Mumtaz Jaafar, a former national runner, who now heads the National Athlete Welfare Foundation, in which Rosmah is the patron. Mumtaz is said to be a close friend of Rosmah.
Quizzed on how he had obtained the IGP's phone number, Saiful said it happened by chance when he was in Najib's house.
“Najib asked for Musa's number from someone whom I cannot identify. I overheard the conversation and keyed the number into my mobile phone in case of emergency,” he added.
After the meeting with Najib, Saiful said Khairil drove him back to the latter's house, and this was where he received a call from Rodhwan, and the police officer had asked Saiful to meet him at Melia Hotel on the same night.
“I met Rodhwan in a room at the hotel and told him what had happened to me,” he said, adding that he had only related his complaint verbally and did not lodge a report then.
'Crank call' to the IGP
Responding to Karpal, Saiful said Rodhwan did not advise him on what to do next, but had requested for another meeting at the Concorde Hotel on June 25. This was later cancelled.
As for Musa, Saiful said he had called the police chief on June 25 and had a brief conversation with him.
Karpal: Why telephone him?
Mohd Saiful: To complain about my problems.
Karpal: Many problems?
Mohd Saiful: Of course, I have many problems.
Karpal: Did you meet him?
Mohd Saiful: Only contacted him.
Karpal: When?
Mohd Saiful: On June 25, 2008, in the morning.
Karpal: You contacted him to tell him your problems, right?
Mohd Saiful: Yes, but I only spoke for a minute and was scolded by the IGP because he probably thought it was a crank call and put down the telephone. He also reminded me not to call him again.
To another question from Karpal, Saiful said he did not find it strange that he had managed to meet the deputy premier and call the IGP.
On his meeting with Ezam, Saiful said a colleague, by the name of Rahimi, and his uncle, Tuah Mohamad, took him to mee Ezam at the latter's house at Bandar Tasik Puteri.
Asked by Karpal if he had known Ezam prior to that, Saiful said he only knew him superficially.
Saiful told the court that the late night meeting with Ezam, prior to the police report being lodged against Anwar, only ended the next morning.
The trial continues tomorrow.
Anwar, 63, is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful, 25, at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
He is charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code and faces up to 20 years' in jail and whipping upon conviction.
S. Augustine Paul
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