By Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Hold off the countdown. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II trial, which was set to start next Wednesday barring further challenges, is likely to be postponed.
The High Court here has to first deal with the Opposition Leader's bid to get extra evidence from the prosecution ahead of his trial, the second sodomy charge in 10 years.
Anwar, 61, who stands accused of committing sodomy with a former male aide last year, claims the prosecution is purposely withholding certain evidence and denying him his right to a fair trial.
Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah was supposed to hear the arguments from both sides this morning but called it off after Anwar's lead lawyer complained of feeling ill.
The judge fixed hearing for next Wednesday at 9am.
Sulaiman Abdullah, who had argued passionately for the past few days before a three-man Bench in the Court of Appeal to shift Anwar's sodomy trial back to the Sessions Court, seemed rather subdued when he entered the courtroom.
The seasoned lawyer usually speaks stoutly. But this time, he could barely be heard from the public gallery less than three metres behind him, even with the microphone switched on.
Sulaiman told the judge he was suffering “giddy spells” which started yesterday at the Court of Appeal, and asked for time off to see a doctor.
The judge agreed and at first, ordered the court to stand down for an hour.
But Anwar's other lawyers said Sulaiman, who headed to the Pantai Hospital in nearby Bangsar for treatment, was given medical leave until Tuesday.
The former deputy prime minister has repeatedly claimed the Sodomy II charges against him are politically-motivated.
While the prosecution insists they have given him all the material they will be using in the trial, Anwar has demanded the prosecution give him more to prove the charge against him.
He filed an application to the High Court last month to force the prosecution to surrender other documents, including witnesses statements, the original DNA samples sent for testing, medical notes, photographs and CCTV (closed circuit television) video clips allegedly of him with his accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
