As expected, the Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's bid to disqualify Justice Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah from presiding over his sodomy trial. The court struck out his appeal after accepting the preliminary objection by the prosecution.
"Are you surprised," Anwar could resist not turning around to ask the reporters in the courtroom.
Locking up Anwar ahead of GE
Indeed, it is crucial for his political arch rival Prime Minister Najib Razak to have him locked up before calling for snap general elections. Despite his coalition's newness and lack of funds, none of the Malaysia's ruling elite would dare to underestimate the 63-year old's political charisma and savvy. He is acknowledged as the glue that binds the fast-rising Pakatan Rakayt coalition made up of DAP, PAS and his own PKR party.
Anwar has accused Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor of taking a leaf from former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who also used the same trick to derail his political career in 1998. Despite massive international condemnation, Mahathir hammered through a sentence that jailed Anwar for 6 years but when he retired, the courts quickly overturned the conviction and acquitted Anwar.
In the latest 're-run', hence the nickname of Sodomy II for the current trial, Anwar has accused the first couple of conspiring with the complainant Saiful Bukhari Azlan. The allegations surfaced soon after Anwar announced his parliamentary comeback. Najib, who initially denied knowing Saiful, later confessed to meeting Saiful before the latter lodged the police report that led to this trial.
Kangaroo court
On Dec 6 last year, Anwar failed in his second bid to get the High Court judge to recuse himself from his (Anwar's) second sodomy trial. Justice Mohd Zabidin himself had then dismissed Anwar's application, after ruling that there was no real danger of bias. It was the second time Anwar had filed an application to recuse the trial judge.
The first was filed in March last year, with Anwar accusing the judge of bias for not initiating contempt action against Utusan Malaysia for being mischievous, and a disruption to a fair trial. That application was dismissed.
Anwar is accused of having sodomised Saiful, his former personal aide, at unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm, on June 26, 2008. The sodomy trial is due to come up for case management on Monday.
source:malaysian chronicle
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