Prosecution refutes Anwar's allegations of conspiracy

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is seen at the Federal Court during his final appeal against a conviction for sodomy at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on Oct 29, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is seen at the Federal Court during his final appeal against a conviction for sodomy at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on Oct 29, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The fourth day of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's appeal in the Federal Court against a sodomy conviction began with the prosecution refuting his statement from the dock.

Lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah kicked off proceedings on Friday by singling out the statement Anwar made from the dock during the trial in the High Court.

Shafee told the Federal Court that Anwar attacked everyone from Prime Minister Najib Razak to the investigating officer in his statement. He said the PKR leader also hit out at the trial judge, an act which should amount to contempt of court.

The lawyer argued that Anwar contended that anyone who decided in finality against him was part of the conspiracy, and dishonest.

Anwar is appealing against a five-year jail sentence for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

A five-member panel led by Chief Justice Arifin began on Friday to hear the prosecution's submissions. The panel had spent two and half days since Tuesday, hearing from Anwar's defence team led by former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram.

On Jan 9, 2012, the High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar of sodomising Mohd Saiful, 27, on grounds that the court could not be 100 per cent certain on the integrity of samples taken for DNA testing from the alleged victim.

The court had ruled that the samples could have been compromised before they reached the chemistry department for analysis.

However, on Mar 7 this year, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's judgment and found Anwar guilty of sodomising Mohd Saiful.

The Court of Appeal held that the trial judge had erred in his findings about the samples, which were based on the evidence of two expert witnesses called by the defence.

The Federal Court has adjourned proceedings in the appeal to Monday. The prosecution team is expected to continue with submissions until Tuesday.

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