KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is suing his former employer Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for allegedly misusing his position and influence to sodomise him.
Mohd Saiful said that Anwar had ruined his good name and reputation when the opposition leader alleged that he (Mohd Saiful) had slandered him in his police report over the sodomy incident.
He is seeking RM50 million (S$19.6 million) in damages.
Speaking to reporters here Wednesday, Mohd Saiful's lawyer Zamri Idrus said High Court deputy registrar Norfauzani Mohd Nordin has ordered Anwar to file his defence statement by Sept 3, and set Oct 8 for case management.
Anwar's counsel Shahid Adli said that his client was served with the lawsuit last Friday.
In his lawsuit, Anwar's former aide said he had been through physical pain and suffering since 2008 as he was still accused of defaming the PKR leader.
He said he had lodged a police report here on June 28, 2008 that Anwar had sodomised him, and that he did not lie or cheat over the contents of the report.
Besides that, Mohd Saiful said the High Court had found him to be a credible witness and the finding was not disturbed by the Court of Appeal.
He said that Anwar always alleged that the police report was defamatory and false evidence whenever the PKR leader gave interviews to the media and at ceramah.
This, Mohd Saiful claimed, has caused him to be humiliated and his dignity had been ruined.
He said that many social websites had also criticised him.
Apart from that, Mohd Saiful said Anwar had also filed a qazaf application at the Syariah High Court accusing him of making a false allegation against him, which received extensive coverage in the media.
He said he suffered depression when he read negative comments against him in websites, blogs and other media.
In his statement of claim, Mohd Saiful said he started to work for Anwar in March 2008 when he was only 22 years old and served with him until June that year.
Mohd Saiful said he often travelled with Anwar during his dealings in the country and abroad.
He said he was asked to carry out various assignments as his special aide and enjoyed several privileges, such as allowances and lodgings, from Anwar.
In his suit filed on June 25, he is also seeking for general, special, aggravated or exemplary damages.
The Court of Appeal had on March 7 unanimously found Anwar guilty of sodomising his former aide in 2008 and jailed him five years.
The Federal Court set Thursday for case management in Anwar's appeal against his conviction and sentence as well as the prosecution's appeal to enhance his jail term.
(Anwar was charged with sodomising Mohd Saiful at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara between 3.10 pm and 4.30 pm on June 26, 2008.)
