Despite lack of clinical evidence, gov't doctor insists penetration

KUALA LUMPUR — A forensic pathologist said today that there was evidence of anal penetration on the lead witness in the sodomy trial of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim even though there was no clinical findings to support the conclusion.

Hospital Kuala Lumpur pathologist Dr Siew Sheue Feng told the High Court here that the lack of resistance through the use of lubricants could be the reason why there was no clinical finding of anal penetration on Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

“En Saiful informed us what happened to him, he was sodomised by a high profile public figure for several months,” said Dr Siew.

According to Dr Siew, Saiful also said that no condoms were used during the alleged sodomy.

Dr Khairul Nizam Hassan, a colleague of Dr Siew’s who had examined Saiful as well, also told the court today that there were no clinical findings of anal penetration.

But like Dr Siew, he said that anal penetration could occur without signs of injury.

Dr Khairul, who had collected samples from Saiful, said that he “found presence of semen on swabs B5, B7, B8, B9 but no presence was detected on other swabs.”

Judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah then fixed October 25 for the continuation of the trial, when the defence team will cross-examine the prosecution’s second witness, Dr Mohd Razali.

Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR de facto leader, is charged with sodomising Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara here between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

The former deputy prime minister has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction. The trial began 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.

He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He had earlier led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

- Malaysian Insider