Anwar charged for sodomy for the second time

Anwar pleads not guilty to sodomy
Aug 7, 08 9:08am (updated 10:40am)

PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim pleaded not guilty to the charge of having carnal intercourse against the order of nature at the Sessions Court in Jalan Duta court complex this morning.
MCPX

"This is a malicious slander and I'm not guilty," he told Sessions judge SM Komathy.

The prosecution did not opposed bail and proposed bail be set at RM20,000 and that Anwar be required to surrender his passport.

However judge Komathy said that there was no need for the RM20,000 bail and instead a personal bond would suffice. He also said that Anwar need not surrender his passport as the opposition leader was not likely to abscond.

The charge, preferred following a complaint by 23-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, carries a punishment of up to 20 years' imprisonment if found guilty.

Anwar was charged with having committed sodomy on Saiful under section 337B of the Penal Code on July 26 between 3.01pm and 4.30pm at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condo in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier today, Anwar arrived at 9.45am to chants of 'reformasi' from 200 supporters who have gathered outside the court complex. He was accompaned by his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and eldest daughter Nurul Izzah.

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng read out a short joint statement from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

He said should Anwar was denied bail, Wan Azizah would be the coordinator of the Pakatan council.

Other Pakatan leaders present include PKR leaders Azmin Ali and Tian Chua, DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang and Gobind Singh Deo and PAS leader Husam Musa.

The de facto PKR leader, who was in a greyish jacket and light purple shirt, appeared relaxed. He smiled and talked to some of his supporters and Pakatan leaders inside the courtroom.

He told Tenaganita director and PKR leader Irene Fernandez that this court case would be the "final round".

Anwar is represented by a seven-member legal team headed by Sulaiman Abdullah. The other defence lawyers are R Sivarasa, Sankara Nair, Saiful Izham Ramli, Amer Hamzah, Edmund Bon and Leela J Jesuthasan.

There are also other lawyers who are holding watching brief for Bar Council and Washington-based Human Rights Watch, Paris-based International for Human Rights and Bangkok-based Forum Asia.

Heavy security

The police have put the entire court complex under heavy security, with police personnel lining up along the roads leading to the complex, as well as within the complex itself.

At least seven police and Federal Reserve Unit trucks are seen in the court parking area.

Similarly the police have also mounted several roadblocks in certain parts of the city, causing massive gridlocks in all main arteries that enter the city centre.

The police are also limiting public access to the courtroom - Sessions Court 1 - in which Anwar will be charged. All members of public are also asked to register themselves before entering the courtroom.

Had bail been denied, as was the case when he was charged 10 years ago, Anwar would be detained and will have to fight his Permatang Pauh by-election behind bars.

Source: MALAYSIAKINI