Sodomy trial: Anwar wins first round - Malaysiakini

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has won the first round of a legal battle against a transfer of his sodomy trial to the High Court, after a sessions court judge ruled that the lower court had the right to hear the defence's objections to the transfer. Malaysiakini has the story:

Nov 7, 08 3:42pm

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today ruled in favour of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and decided that his sodomy trial would be heard in the same court.

Delivering the ruling this afternoon, judge SM Komathy Suppiah had ruled that the transfer order signed by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was invalid.The court fixed next Friday for ention.

The decision will pave the way for the sodomy trial to begin - three months after Anwar claimed trial after being charged with sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in jail. He is currently out on a RM20,000 personal bond.

AG's role disputed

In previous arguments on the case transfer, Anwar had objected to the application because the transfer certificate was signed by Abdul Gani.

The defence team's objection was on the basis that the AG should not have played any role in this case as he is being investigated for allegedly having tampered with evidence in Anwar's trials 10 years ago.

The defence has also argued that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had given an assurance that Abdul Gani would not be involved in the case