Sodomy II: Interviews with ex-top cops stalled
The interviews scheduled today with former IGP Musa Hassan and former Malacca police chief Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusof by Anwar Ibrahim's defence team have stalled.
The interviews scheduled today with former IGP Musa Hassan and former Malacca police chief Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusof (below) by Anwar Ibrahim's defence team have stalled.
This followed objections from the prosecution to Anwar's presence during the interviews, related to his defence in the Sodomy II trial.
His lawyers were informed of this by investigating officer Supt Jude Blacious Pereira.
Karpal Singh and Sankara Nair, who are in the defence team, told reporters that this had never happened before.
"Anwar's presence is needed as he is the person accused, and he has the right to be there," said Karpal.
"He has to be there as we may need to seek certain instructions. This, I have to emphasise, has never happened before in my legal practice and this is a first."
The senior lawyer pointed out that when he interviewed witnesses, he made it a point for the client to be present as well.
“I do not know why the prosecution is objecting to what is normally done,” said Karpal.
He said he had to correct the perception that it was not the defence that is prolonging the case, since the objection was raised by the prosecution.
"We want to get on with the case as soon as possible."
Karpal, Anwar and Sankara were on the sixth floor to interview the witnesses, while Musa and Rodwan were on the basement second floor of the large Jalan Duta court complex.
Jude Blacious had informed Sankara of the objection made by the prosecution when both of them met on the sixth floor, without the presence of Musa and Rodwan.
Yusof to seek judge's direction
Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who is heading the prosecution team, said in a text message that Anwar's presence is not necessary.
“He is represented by his counsel and therefore it is not necessary for him to be there.”
“It is also not law (that the accused) be present while interviewing witnesses,” Yusof said, adding the objection came from him and not from Musa or Rodwan.
Contacted by Malaysiakini, Yusof said Anwar’s presence may disrupt the interview session as the questions asked of the witness should be relevant to the charge.
“This is something which we do not want to happen,” he said.
Karpal said Yusof wanted to meet with the trial judge, Justice Mohamad Zabidin, for further directions on the matter.
"We will wait for the prosecution to meet the judge, for they cannot meet him alone," he said.
"We have to also be present as well."
Karpal said Jude Blacious had informed them that another six witnesses have been scheduled to be interviewed tomorrow, but that he (Jude) did not have the particulars.
However, he said, as a result of today's development, the interview sessions have been put on hold until the objection to the accused's presence is resolved.
Musa, who was the investigator in the Sodomy I case, is sought as a witness as he had apparently received a call from complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Rodwan has met Saiful at the Concorde Hotel, after the former political aide met with Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor at their official residence when Najib was deputy prime minister.
Sankara and Yusof, when contacted, said both parties will meet the judge at 9.30am tomorrow.
Defence wants to interview 15 witnesses
The defence last week submitted applications to interview 15 witnesses including Najib, Rosmah, Musa and Rodwan.
The 15 are derived from the 71 people offered as witnesses for the defence by the prosecution. All in all, the defence had indicated it would call 25 witnesses, including Anwar’s Aussie expert witnesses forensic pathologist Dr David Wells and DNA specialist Dr Brian McDonald.
The defence also wanted to interview condo owner Hasanuddin Abdul Hamid, his wife Noor Sham Abd Hamid, and their two former maids Suliati and Fitria Dipan.
The others are alibi witnesses who were said to be in the condo, including former PKR supreme council member Nik Mahmood Nik Hassan, former Bursa Malaysia chief operating officer Omar Malek Ali Merican, Deutsche Bank chief executive officer Raymond Yeoh, Anwar’s former bodyguards Mokhtar Mustafa and Abdullah Sani Said, and Anwar’s former driver, Mohd Khoharullah Abdul Majid.
Those interviewed so far include former national athlete Mumtaz Jaafar, said to be a close friend of Rosmah, former special officer to Najib when he was the deputy premier Khairil Annas Jusoh and Pusrawi Hospital’s Dr Mohamad Osman Abdul Hamid, who was the first to examine Saiful, and Saiful’s sister Saidati and Hospital Kuala Lumpur doctor Dr Anantha Raj Daniel.
