Free Anwar Sodomy Charge

In a surprise decision, the High Court here today acquitted and discharged Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of the charges of sodomizing a former personal assistant, Mohd. Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a condominium in the capital in 2008. 

Anwar Ibrahim was accompanied, Wan Azizah Wan Ali arrived
in the grounds of the High Court in Jalan Duta for
hear the decision on sodomy case
Mohd. Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the High Court,
Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd. Diah decided that after finding no evidence of evidence in support of Mohd. Saiful Bukhari as well as being safe for the court to rely on evidence of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). 

According to him, after examining the evidence, the court can not be hundred percent sure that the integrity of DNA samples taken from the first prosecution witness, namely Mohd. Saiful was not affected.

This, he said, caused the court only had evidence of Mohd. Saiful Bukhari. 

But he said, for sexual offenses in the defense case, the court was reluctant to convict the accused solely on the evidence of Mohd. Saiful Bukhari without other supporting evidence. 

''The accused was acquitted and released,''said Judge Mohamad Zabidin summary judgments conclude that lasted only three minutes to read without any further delay before he went straight into the camera. 

Public gallery was packed with family members and supporters of Anwar that they were stood up to welcome the decision with good cheer. 

Anwar, who previously looked tired and there are signs of anxiety, changed cheerful and smiled before he embraced his wife, Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. 

Their children also took the opportunity to embrace their father and mother as she shed tears. 

All their children that Nurul Izzah the MP Beach Valley, Nurul Nuha, Nurul Ilham, Nurul Iman, Nurul Hana, and son of their men, Mohd. Courtesy appear in court. 

Also present were the President of the Pass, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang; DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang: DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng; former Bar Council president Datuk S. Ambiga and National Laureate Datuk A. Samad Said as well as foreign missions. 

Almost 4,000 supporters were present to meet the car park in front of the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex since at 6:15 am. 

Anwar, 64, trial after pleading not guilty to sodomizing Mohd. Saiful Bukhari, 26, at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara Condominium, No. 99, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, here between the hours of 3:01 pm and 4:30 pm, June 26, 2008. 

People's Justice Party Advisor (PKR) is faced with a jail term of 20 years and whipping if convicted under Section 377B of the Penal Code. 

He was sentenced to nine years by the High Court in 2000 after being found guilty of sodomizing his former driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, but four years later, the sentence and conviction was successfully set aside the Federal Court on 5 September 2004.

Meanwhile, Anwar's when the media swarmed the grounds of the court to say thanks for the decisions made by the court. 

He said that the decision was 'clean' from the disgraceful allegations, while also imagine will continue to make reforms in the general election to come.

Court in its decision at the end of the prosecution's case on May 16 last year ordered him to defend himself on charges after found Mohd. Saiful Bukhari is a true witness and his testimony is reliable. 

Anwar then choose to give evidence without an oath in the dock with only read a statement that the content is only denied the alleged acts such as pointing a finger to a judge other than the alleged cause did not get a fair trial.