Saiful describes Anwar’s indecent proposal

UPDATED

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s accuser in his Sodomy II trial shocked the High Court today when he said the opposition leader had used profane language when asking to have sexual intercourse with him.

Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who took the stand at the High Court as the prosecution’s first witness, testified that when he first met Anwar at a condominium in Damansara Heights in 2008, the PKR de facto leader had asked him: “Can I **** you today?”

Saiful’s use of the profanity was greeted by sniggers and murmurs from those in the public gallery.

When asked by the prosecution about his immediate reaction to the request by Anwar, Saiful replied that at that point of time he felt “angry and scared.”

“I was angry and scared.. I refused to do so, to which Anwar became angry,” said Saiful.

The complainant also alleged that the former deputy prime minister had offered him money in exchange for the sexual act, to which he also “refused”.

Saiful was the prosecution’s first witness. — Reuters pic

“I repeated what I had said and told him that I cannot bear to do it.”

Anwar had then “ordered” him to proceed to the guest room where Saiful then stripped and donned a towel before the opposition leader hugged him.

Saiful described to the court how Anwar had closed the curtains of the bedroom, switched off the room lights and closed the door.

“It was dark, but I could still see some light coming from between the cracks of the curtains as well as the washroom light,” explained Saiful.

At this point Anwar had apparently told Saiful to “clean himself up” in the washroom. Saiful said he did as he was told.

Upon coming out of the washroom, the complainant had testified that Anwar was sitting at the foot of the bed and was also clad in a white towel.

“He (Anwar) then instructed me to come to him. He then hugged me while standing.”

At this point, lead counsel for Anwar’s defense team, Karpal Singh, objected to the questioning of the key witness being done in open court and requested that it be continued in-camera.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, in agreement with Karpal, cited legal provisions which empowered the court to do so for the sake of public interest.

At the beginning of Saiful’s testimony, he claimed that units 1151 and 1152 of the condominium where the sodomy allegedly took place belonged to a Hasanuddin Abdul Hamid, and that he had been there several times prior to the incident.

Saiful had also stated that each time he went to these units, a password, “Mohktar”, was required

Earlier, Saiful also told the court that he quit his job as a personal assistant to the opposition leader because he “could no longer stand being used as stated in the charges”.

Saiful had earlier pointed to Anwar when asked by Mohd Yusof to identify the accused.

Anwar did not look at him.

The opposition leader, who smirked at many points during Saiful’s testimony, had earlier described the charge as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him.

Saiful, who appeared calm and composed, told the court that his job as Anwar’s personal assistant included helping the opposition leader to organise secret meetings with MPs who potentially wanted to defect to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties.

He also testified that he took care of Anwar’s mobile phone and alerted his then-employer to important messages.

Anwar’s trial finally started today after much delay with the prosecution firing their first salvo by saying they had evidence to show that the semen stains found on Saiful belonged to the opposition leader.

In their opening statement, the prosecution told the High Court that tissue samples taken from the outer and inner part of Saiful’s anus were examined for a DNA match.

The prosecution said it would bring to the court testimonies to show the semen stains have been confirmed by authorities from the Chemistry Department as belonging to Anwar.

Anwar is accused of sodomising his former aide on June 26, 2008 at a posh condominium in the exclusive Bukit Damansara suburb of Kuala Lumpur.

He has denied the charge, saying it’s a conspiracy similar to that in 1998.

The 63-year-old oppposition leader was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He had earlier led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in 2008 General Election.

Soon after, he was accused by the 24-year-old Saiful, whom Anwar dismissively called a “coffee boy.”

The trial has been adjourned until 9.30am tomorrow. The proceedings will be in camera due to the sensitivity of the testimony, the court ruled.

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