PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court decision to uphold the sodomy conviction against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim proves that allegations of the case being politically motivated are false, said lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
He said the country’s highest court had followed due process in examining the layers of evidence, ruled on evidence already presented and proved that there were no technicalities.
“The independence of Malaysia’s judiciary is enshrined in the Constitution. And this case was brought by a private individual, Anwar’s employee, who lodged a police complaint in which he accused Anwar of using undue pressure, as his superior, to coerce him into sex.
“Nobody could have scripted the twists and turns of the extraordinary and comprehensive case, including (the) many decisions which have gone in Anwar’s favour.
“To allege as much is offensive to the judges and it is unsustainable to anyone who reads today what they (have) decided and why,” Shafee said in a statement.
He argued that the only politically motivated actions were those of Anwar and his supporters who had repeatedly demanded for the case to be dropped.
Shafee also reminded the public that it was a DAP politician, the late Karpal Singh, who “cast the first stone” when he accused Anwar of sodomy in 1997, back when Anwar was Deputy Prime Minister.
Shafee said Anwar’s former aide had the right to see his complaint properly investigated by the police and judiciary.
“So, rather than being a story about politics, this is actually a human story and from the judiciary’s perspective, it is the role of the country’s justice system to enable both sides of the story to be heard in court.
Earlier, in his submissions in court in the cross appeal to increase Anwar’s jail time, Shafee said the crime committed by Anwar was even more serious considering Anwar’s position of power, as leader of PKR, at that time.
“The higher the standing of a man, the more serious the offence, compared to that of a lesser man,” argued Shafee.
