KUALA LUMPUR: In arguments lasting more than two hours, Solicitor-General Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden submitted today that the arrest of Anwar Ibrahim on July 16, 2008 was lawful and that the obtaining of evidence from his cell was proper.
“Anwar was not tricked into using the toothbrush, towel or bottle,” he said. “He was not induced or threatened. There was no oppression.”
Citing British and American precedents, he said the opposition leader could not expect privacy during detention.
He said that a detained person who left things behind was willingly submitting evidence.
He also argued that the arrest was legal because Anwar had signed the warrant.
Disapproving murmurs from the gallery were audible as Yusuf was making his submission. Several members of parliament, still in their parliamentary garb, were in court to show support for Anwar.
Batu MP Tian Chua even sent out tweets during the trial within a trial, criticising Yusof’s “twisted arguments”.
Also present were Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah, Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution, Gopeng MP Lee Boon Chye and Selayang MP William Leong.
Anwar’s lawyer Karpal Singh restated his stance from previous days, saying the arrest violated the Federal Constitution and was therefore unlawful.
He maintained his argument that the evidence taken from Anwar’s cell on the night of his detention was obtained improperly.
Yusof told the court the prosecution needed the items to corroborate complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azan’s testimony.
He asked the judge to dismiss the defence’s application for the items to be rejected as evidence.
After the prosecution’s submission, Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah called for a recess until 2.30pm, but then agreed to give Karpal more time to prepare his response, ordering the court to reconvene at 10am tomorrow.
Anwar is charged with sodomising Mohd Saiful at a condominium in Bukit Damansara on 26 June 2008. He faces a maximum of 20 years’ jail. - FMT
HIAYAH whatever the court says or don't say he is going IN
ReplyDeleteanyone can say he is done
How did the cops only pick up DNA samples of Anwar when there could be so many others in that cell.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there have been other "visitors" in that cell and everyone of them would have shed some hair or skin and left other items. That cell is not a comuter chip-standard clean room.