KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who had complained that he was sodomised by Anwar Ibrahim, told the High Court that several individuals whom he had met had not asked him to make a police report.
Mohd Saiful, 25, said among those whom he met were the then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Anwar's former political secretary, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Noor, police officer SAC I Mohd Rodwan Yusof (who is now Melaka police chief), former national track queen Mumtaz Jaafar, his friend Rahimi Osman, his uncle known as Tuah, and a religious teacher known as Atuk.Mohd Saiful, the key witness in the sodomy trial of the Opposition Leader, said that after making complaints to the seven individuals that he had been sodomised by Anwar, he did not lodge a police report on the incident.
When cross-examined by Karpal Singh, who represented Anwar, Mohd Saiful said no one had advised him to lodge a police report as they were worried about his future because he was still young.
Karpal: Did the (then) Deputy Prime Minister offer any advice?
Mohd Saiful: At first he was surprised, sceptical. But after explaining in detail, he said he could not do anything because it was Anwar's private matter and it involved my future.
Karpal: Did you, at any time, lodge a police report on the complaint that you had made to the (then) deputy prime minister, as well as the other individuals?
Mohd Saiful: Prior to June 26, 2008 (the sodomy incident), I did not lodge a police report.
Karpal: No one had advised you to lodge a police report?
Mohd Saiful: None. They were worried about my future.
To a question by Karpal whether he knew that under Section 13 of the Criminal Procedure Code, it was one's responsibility to lodge a police report if he or she knew that a sodomy had been committed, Mohd Saiful said he did not know about it.
Karpal: If the then DPM (deputy prime minister) or the others had not made a police report, they had committed an offence under Section 202 of the Penal Code and could be sent to jail. Did you know or not?
Mohd Saiful: I did not know.
Karpal: It's all right, I will tell you now. What you had told the (then) DPM was a serious matter that you had been sodomised without consent.
Before Karpal could complete his question, Solicitor-General II Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden, who is heading the prosecution team, objected as it was not a question but a comment, and this was concurred by Judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, who is hearing the proceedings.
"I want to hear questions, not comments. Continue with your questioning," Mohamad Zabidin told Karpal.
Anwar is accused of sodomising Mohd Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 Kondominium Desa Damansara, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, here between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
The charge carries a jail term of up to 20 years and caning upon conviction.
No mention of plastic object
To another question by Karpal, Mohd Saiful denied that the reason he had sworn at a mosque several days before the nomination day for the Permatang Pauh by-election was to ensure that Anwar would lose in the by-election.
Karpal: Why did you do it on a date that was close to the nomination day?
Mohd Saiful: This was coincidental (Mohd Saiful's reply drew laughter from the public gallery). I wanted to (swear) early in July but the circumstances did not permit me.
Karpal: I put it to you that this was your plan to ensure that Anwar would lose. That was the purpose, wasn't it?
Mohd Saiful: I disagree.
To Karpal's question why he had not used the many opportunities to escape and seek help from the condominium's security guards or to scream during the sodomy incident, Mohd Saiful said that he did not take the opportunity.
To another question on his family, Mohd Saiful said his parents had divorced when he was seven years old and he was living with his father and younger sister, Saidati.
Replying to Karpal's question whether his younger sister was married, Mohd Saiful said his sister had been taken to Thailand last year and that he was unsure whether she had married or not.
Karpal later requested that his cross-examination on Mohd Saiful be postponed and that he would recall Mohd Saiful later.
When re-examined by Mohamed Yusof, Mohd Saiful said he had never told Dr Osman Abdul Hamid from Pusrawi, who had attended to him, that a plastic object had been inserted into his anus.
When asked to read the medical report by Osman, Mohd Saiful said he was not clear about the medical report which was handwritten.
Source : Bernama
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