Sodomy II: High Court acquits Anwar Ibrahim
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been found not guilty of sodomising his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
The verdict, which came after a two-year trial, was something of a shock as many quarters had predicted that Anwar would be found guilty. There had also been accusations of political manouverings behind the scenes to ensure a guilty verdict.
However, the court, after going through the evidence, said it could not be 100 per cent certain that the integrity of the DNA samples used in the case had not been compromised and thus could not rely on the evidence.
As such, said the court, it was left only with Mohd Saiful's testimony. Being a sexual crime, the court was reluctant to convict based entirely on Mohd Saiful's testimony and therefore decided to acquit and discharge Anwar.
The High Court's ruling, delivered by Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah at about 9:20am, was greeted with roars and cheers of joy by the crowd of thousands that had gathered to protest what they expected to be a guilty verdict at the Jalan Duta court complex.
The courthouse had begun seeing a deluge of supporters from 5am, who braved a steady early-morning drizzle to show their support for Anwar. Many wore Anwar Ibrahim face masks, while others wore T-shirts with a prints of messages. A lot of them had also brought rations of food and drinks to keep them going for what they expected to be a long day ahead.
About one and a half hours after the verdict was announced, and while the crowd was still thronging the area outside the courthouse, three explosions shook the place.
Police later confirmed that five people had been hurt in the blast and several vehicles were also damaged. Malaysiakini reported eyewitness Naraza Muda claiming that a laywer sustained injuries to the mouth and hand. Police also said that the explosions were caused by home-made bombs, which had timers attached to them.
Pakatan Rakyat's Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman, Elizabeth Wong, claimed on Twitter that her car had been hit by plastic bombs. So far, no arrests have been made.
64-year-old Anwar, was charged with sodomising his former aide at a Damansara Heights condominium in June 2008, shortly before completing his political comeback by regaining his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.
The verdict is a let-off for Anwar, who could have spent up to 20 years in jail had he be found guilty.
The real intrigue begins now, however, as Anwar's acquittal allows him to move into high gear ahead of the coming polls. Without the millstone of the trial hanging round his neck, Anwar will be poised to unleash the full force of his unmatched charisma and famed gift of the gab as Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat contest what will undoubtedly be the most tightly-contested elections in Malaysian history.
