Bid to strike out Anwar’s counterclaim in sexual assault suit dismissed

 

Yusoff Rawther alleges that Anwar Ibrahim had sexually assaulted and molested him at the latter’s home in Segambut in October 2018. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: A former research assistant to Anwar Ibrahim who filed a sexual assault suit against the PKR president has failed to strike out the latter’s counterclaim and certain paragraphs in the defence.

Judicial commissioner Johan Lee of the High Court here said Yusoff Rawther’s application was without merit and that the suit ought to be ventilated at a full trial. The ruling was delivered in online proceedings.

Lawyer Navpreet Singh, who represented Anwar, said the judge also ordered Yusoff to pay RM3,500 in costs.

Mahajot Singh appeared for Yusoff.

Yusoff had filed an application last December to remove a number of paragraphs in Anwar’s defence that he claimed were irrelevant to the suit.

He also said Anwar’s counterclaim was speculative in nature, vague and lacked clarity and particulars.

Yusoff added that the counterclaim had not identified any cause of action and was an abuse of the court’s process.

In his statement of claim filed in July last year, Yusoff alleged that Anwar sexually assaulted and molested him at the latter’s home in Segambut, at about 3pm on Oct 2, 2018.

According to Yusoff, he had been asked by Anwar’s private secretary, Shukri Saad, to hand over the text of a speech which Anwar was scheduled to deliver to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday. He claimed that was when Anwar sexually assaulted him.

He said there was no communication between him and Anwar for about a month after the alleged incident. However, he admitted to having worked for Anwar until he resigned on June 24, 2019.

Yusoff also claimed that Anwar’s accusation that he was conspiring to damage the PKR president’s political career had affected his mental health.

Anwar, in his defence, denied sexually assaulting Yusoff and brushed off the contention that the latter had come to meet him at his residence at the material date and time.

Instead, Anwar said, he was entertaining his family and friends between 2pm and 6pm on Oct 2, 2018.

In his counterclaim, Anwar also said Yusoff had manufactured evidence in connivance with persons currently unknown to tarnish his political image.

This, he said, was done to prevent him from taking over as prime minister from Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the Pakatan Harapan administration. - FMT