Last chance for Anwar to get out of jail tomorrow

The Federal Court will deliver its verdict on a review application made by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim over the Sodomy II conviction tomorrow.

This is Anwar’s last legal avenue to challenge the five-year jail sentence handed down by the Federal Court, which upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn his acquittal.

If Anwar succeeds in his bid, the apex court will decide whether to acquit Anwar or order a retrial at the High Court. If Anwar’s conviction stands, he would remain in jail until mid-2018.

PKR will be holding a rally outside the Palace of Justice to show solidarity with their incarcerated leader.

The verdict will be delivered by a five-member panel, led by Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin.

The four other judges on the panel are Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjum, Justice Hasan Lah, Justice Abu Samah Nordin and Justice Zaharah Ibrahim

Former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram, who appeared for Anwar, had told the bench that there was a political conspiracy against his client.

The defence claim that the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement over Anwar’s conviction 15 minutes after the judgment was made but before sentencing.

Gopal also questioned the integrity of the sample retrieved from complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, which was obtained 56 hours after the sodomy incident.

“Our case is that there should be degradation and we submitted in all probability that this was not the sample tested by PW5 (chemist Dr Seah Lay Hoong),” he said.- Mkini