No conspiracy against Anwar, says Musa again

The ex-IGP attempts to clear the air over lingering suspicion that he was involved in a government conspiracy to set-up Anwar Ibrahim in both Sodomy I and II.

PETALING JAYA: Former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan has reiterated that the Sodomy I and II cases were not part of a political conspiracy to bring down Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Musa, who was the investigating officer of the 1998 case and was serving as the IGP when the more recent 2008 allegation by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan surfaced, told FMT that both were “straight forward cases.”

Responding to claims that he was a party to fabrication of evidence in the first sodomy case, Musa stressed:”There was no fabrication of evidence. He [Anwar] was charged in court.”

“And then I sued Anwar in court [on his allegation of fabrication] and he wanted me to settle with him. So what fabrication was there? The case was dropped because he wanted us to settle it out of court. So there is nothing more.”

Asked why he agreed to a settlement when he claims to be right, Musa replied: “Because to me [if] that person feels that there is no point to [continue with it] then [it shows] that I am not involved. Perhaps he has realised that I am not involved that’s why he wants so settle [out of court].”

Musa was referring to his recent decision to drop a defamation suit against Anwar, who lodged a report against Musa in 2008 accusing him and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Pattail of fabricating evidence in the 1998 ‘black eye’ incident and the Sodomy I trial.

PKR, who had since then insisted that there was no out-of-court settlement and that it was Musa who initiated a withdrawal, had said that Musa’s action was “proof” that there was a government plot to fabricate evidence over the Sodomy I charges.

Musa’s lawyers had cited a “misunderstanding” over the ex-IGP’s role in the 1998 “black eye” incident where Anwar was assaulted by the then IGP Abdul Rahim Noor while in police custody.

On his role in Sodomy II, Musa also rubbished claims that he was a “main actor in the script”.

“Why do they say I am doing the script when it is Saiful who lodged the report, not me. I didn’t want to see Saiful even then. He [Saiful] even said in court that I scolded him [when he tried to contact me], that [I told him] if you have a problem, you lodge a police report. So I’m not involved in any conspiracy here. What are they talking about?” he said.

FMT: Do you know any of any of these ‘script writers’ who were involved in the Sodomy II then?

Musa: It is a straight up case. [A police report was] lodged by the complainant.

Wouldn’t you say there were political reasons behind it?

That you have to ask them because I don’t know the facts about who he [Saiful] saw.

I’m sure you would have certain information from your SBs at the time.

To me if it is very material that he met someone, then that someone must go to court and give evidence, that’s all. So if a person doesn’t give evidence in court, then is it my conspiracy? Come on.

Are you referring to Anwar’s position to actually not give evidence in the witness statement but to give a statement at the dock?

No, not Anwar. There was an allegation to say that they met the prime minister right? Then the prime minister will have to go to court if it is deemed that his evidence is important. Of course as the prime minister anybody can see him to complain, because he is the PM, but what I feel is that he should [have] advised him [Saiful] to lodge a police report, that’s all.