Malaysia’s High Court said yesterday that it would let prosecutors use key DNA evidence against former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim in his sodomy trial, handing another setback to the opposition leader as he confronts a new controversy involving a sex video.
The decision was a surprising reversal of the court’s own recent ruling that a toothbrush, towel and water bottle that Anwar kept during police detention could not be submitted as evidence in his trial.
A chemist testified that DNA on those items matched that of semen discovered on Anwar’s accuser.
Photo: AFP
The evidence is a vital part of the prosecution’s effort to prove that Anwar had sex with his 25-year-old former aide. Anwar faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of sodomy, a crime in this Muslim-majority country.
The court’s ruling comes while Anwar is struggling with new allegations of sexual misconduct after a sex video depicting a man believed to resemble him was leaked under mysterious -circumstances on Monday. Anwar claims both the sodomy charge and the video were fabricated by the government to crush his political threat.
Authorities have denied any conspiracy.
The Malaysian High Court had decided earlier this month that the DNA evidence was not obtained legally during Anwar’s brief detention in 2008. It reversed its ruling yesterday after hearing new testimony from police who argued otherwise.
Anwar criticized the decision, insisting to reporters that authorities got the three items through “trickery and deception.”
He has refused to voluntarily provide a DNA sample because he fears authorities will tamper with it.
Without DNA evidence, the prosecution’s case hinges mainly on testimony by Anwar’s ex-aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who claims Anwar coerced him into having sex at a Kuala Lumpur condominium in June 2008.
Prosecutors said that they planned to wrap up their case today by recalling two witnesses for testimony.
Anwar, a married 63-year-old with six children, has also been battling to convince the public that he is not the man seen having sex with an unknown woman in a video that people who refused to identify themselves showed to several Malaysian journalists on Monday.
Police say they are investigating the video, which has not been publicly circulated.
Johari Abdul, a Malaysian Member of Parliament in Anwar’s opposition alliance, said yesterday he watched the video in a hotel room this week on the -invitation of two men, one of whom is a former government politician. He claimed the man filmed in the black-and-white video looked more plump than Anwar and had broader shoulders.
Debate over the video could hurt Anwar’s three-party alliance in a state election that officials announced yesterday would be held on April 16.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ruling coalition hopes to easily retain control of the Sarawak state legislature on Borneo Island to boost its confidence ahead of national elections widely expected within a year.
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