Anwar was at condo - with 5 others

Source : Malaysiakini

Anwar Ibrahim's lawyer revealed that his client was indeed at the Desa Damansara condominium at the time of the alleged sodomy.

MCPX

However, he was there for a meeting with “about five people” - casting a fresh alibi for the opposition leader - according to Sankara Nair today.

“We have a watertight alibi and we have given the alibi (and their names) to the police during police investigation,” Sankara told reporters after Anwar was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning.

“He had people all around because they were all having a meeting in that house (the condominium unit),” he disclosed.
Contacted by Malaysiakini later, Sankara said Anwar has never denied that he had been to the condominium. The unit was owned by a friend to the opposition leader, the lawyer added.

Sankara confirmed that statements of the witnesses who were with Anwar at the time - and now are his alibi - had been recorded by the police.

He however did not elaborate on whether the complainant, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, was among the people present at the meeting. Saiful, 23, is the former aide who claimed that Anwar sodomised him.

Drop the case, prosecution told

Anwar was charged for engaging in sodomy with Saiful under Section 337B of the Penal Code on June 26 between 3.01pm and 4.30pm at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condo in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

The provision implies consensual sex, and not assault, as the wording of the section is silent on whether it was done with or without consent.

Anwar pleaded not guilty to the charge and was freed on personal bond of RM20,000.

On July 2, Anwar had also told Malaysiakini that he had never denied going to the luxury condominium where Saiful claims the act occurred.

“I (have) never said that I have never been there,” Anwar was quoted as saying then.

Elaborating on Anwar’s case, Sankara said the legal team has a strong defence with the alibi, as well as a medical report which found there was no signs of sodomy on Saiful.

The lawyer also pointed out that the defence team has yet to receive a copy of Saiful’s police report.

With the evidence in hand, Sankara expressed hope that the prosecution will drop its case.

“We want to see how they (prosecution) want to carry out the prosecution, we hope they will drop the case,” he said.