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Malaysian court says Anwar's sodomy trial can proceed
Agence France Presse - December 2, 2009
Kuala Lumpur – The Malaysian Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim, has failed in his attempt to stop his sodomy trial from going ahead, in another blow to his fluctuating fortunes.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday rejected Mr Anwar's application to have the case thrown out.
Mr Anwar's lawyer, Sankara Nair, said he would appeal against the decision in the Appeal Court. "I didn't expect anything different," 62-year-old Mr Anwar said after the ruling by Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.
Mr Anwar was charged last year with sodomising a male former aide. He denies the charge, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
A medical examination of the aide showed no evidence of penetration and Mr Anwar's lawyers argue that trying their client for sodomy is tantamount to abusing the justice system.
Justice Mohamad Zabidin rejected the argument, saying there might be other witnesses or evidence to prove the case.
Mr Anwar spent six years in jail from 1998 after being convicted of corruption and of sodomy. Malaysia's top court overturned the sodomy conviction. The trial date has been set for January 25.
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