Sodomy II deferred to Wed; 'Hiding' of medical report shows Najib's desperation

Najib, Rosmah accused of plotting with Saiful

Malaysia Chronicle

Despite the huge outpouring of international condemnation, it looks like nothing is going to stop Prime Minister Najib Razak from jailing his arch rival Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim on manifestly fabricated sodomy charges.

Much of the flimsiness of the evidence produced against Anwar has already been sharply criticized, such as the Najib administration’s bare-faced defiance of UN fair-trial guidelines by denying Anwar documents he needs to prepare his defense, two government-hospital reports that showed no signs of penetration, the sodomy complainant’s meeting with Najib a day before lodging the police complaint that resulted in the government's prosecution of Anwar.

But these may soon be dwarfed by the latest revelation - the possible and deliberate substitution of a key medical report prepared by three doctors who had examined complainant Saiful Bukhari Azlan on June 28.

Hiding of information?

Tian

During cross-examination on Monday, it was revealed that this report was not produced in court. Instead what the prosecution tendered for evidence was a final report dated July 13 that contained very little of Saiful’s medical history and background versus the June 28 report.

Giving such explosive news, all eyes were on Karpal Singh, Anwar’s lead counsel, who had been expected to grill the doctors on Tuesday based on the June 28 report that he had demanded from the court.

However, Karpal was taken ill with diarrhea and possible dengue. The judge has deferred the hearing to Wednesday.

“It looks like more pie in the face for Najib but he has reached such a stage of desperation that for him to retain the federal government at the coming general election, he needs to lock up Anwar first,” PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But this only disgusts Malaysians and the international community even more. There will be a distinct impact on investor confidence and willingness to invest. They will be put off by further evidence of the lack of a good and independent judiciary system in the country."

Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR adviser, was accused of sodomizing Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

He has denied the charges and accused Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor of collaborating with Saiful to frame him and derail his political comeback.