The defence team in the sodomy trial of jailed deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim closed its case this morning.

One from Anwar's team of lawyers, Sankaran Nair, told journalists outside the courtroom that the defence has no more witnesses and has closed its case.

Court deputy registrar Rozilah Salleh later announced that the defence is to file a written submission to be served on the prosecution on or before July 1.

"The prosecution is to reply submission before July 3, and the defence has to reply, if necessary, by July 6," she added.

Sankaran later told malaysiakini that the defence has adequate time although there are 1,756 pages of proceedings to read in writing the submission.

"Should the Federal Court decide that the prime minister should testify, then the case will have to be reopened again," he said.

Otherwise, he said the court would not wait for the Federal Court's decision and will deliver its judgment at an appropriate time.

Anwar has appealed to the Federal Court, the country's highest court, against High Court judge Arifin Jaka's ruling that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad need not testify in the trial.

The Court of Appeal has upheld Arifin's ruling early this month.

Anwar has argued in affidavits earlier this year that Mahathir's evidence was crucial to the trial, alleging that he (Mahathir) was involved in a conspiracy to topple him (Anwar).

The prime minister, however, in reply to Anwar's affidavits denied that he was involved in such a conspiracy and said that Anwar's intention to call him as a witness was in bad faith and an abuse of the court process.

Sankaran said they have not been notified as to when the Federal Court appeal hearing will begin.

The appeal is likely to be heard by a panel headed by Chief Justice Eusoff Chin who is currently embroiled in a controversy surrounding a New Zealand holiday, allegedly with a prominent lawyer V. K. Lingam six years ago.

Anwar is being charged with forcing sex on his wife's former driver Azizan Abu Bakar with the aid of adopted brother Sukma Dermawan Saasmitat Madja, at Sukma's apartment in Tivoli Villas, Bangsar on "one night at 7.45pm between January and March, 1993".

The sodomy trial, which began on June 7 last year, entered its 109th day today and is considered one of the longest criminal cases in the nation's history.

Anwar, one-time heir apparent to the prime minister's post, is currently serving a six-year jail term for corruption relating to abuse of power while in office as deputy prime minister.

He is also awaiting an appeal filed at the Federal Court against the Court of Appeal's decision to uphold his conviction and jail sentence imposed by High Court judge Augustine Paul on April 14 last year.