By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal | May 16, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accused trial judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah of “prejudging” the Sodomy II trial with his decision today even before the opposition leader has entered his defence.

The 63-year old PKR de facto leader told reporters although he had expected such a decision, he was “shocked” by Mohd Zabidin’s decision which accepted the prosecution’s arguments wholesale, despite the defence’s objection against complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s credibility as the star witness.

“It does not come as a surprise but what is shocking is that he (Mohd Zabidin) has prejudged the case, and extended it beyond prima facie.

“This makes the position of the defence very precarious,” Anwar said.

He maintained his innocence and argued that the case had not taken into consideration the testimonies of several important witnesses — Pusrawi Hospital’s Dr Osman Hamid and the owner of the Desa Damansara condominium unit where the alleged sodomy took place.

“I have declared my innocence… following the law this case has no basis,” stressed the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader.

It is understood that the defence team will interview 30 witnesses before the trial starts on June 6, and among those who will be interviewed are Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Datuk Mumtaz Jaafar.

“We will defend our position. We will call all witnesses, including Najib, Rosmah, Musa Hassan and Mumtaz.

“It is evident in earlier testimonies Najib, Rosmah, the former IGP are involved in this case,” said Anwar.

Defence counsel Sankara Nair said they will also be bringing in other expert witnesses to testify before the trial resumes next month.

“We are disappointed with the decision to call for the defence, we feel that this should have been a case of acquittal,” he told reporters.

The lawyer confirmed that Anwar will be the first defence witness to testify.

“Anwar will be the first witness… he has to be,” said Sankara.

The trial will resume on June 6 to 30.

Anwar, the 63-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life.

He has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

The trial began 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.

He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He led the loose pact of PKR, DAP and PAS to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.