New witnesses to prove Anwar ‘can do it’
While the defence closed its case today, the prosecution will be calling four witnesses to show that Anwar is capable of committing the alleged offence.
(Free Malaysia Today) – The prosecution in Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II trial will attempt to prove that the opposition leader was capable of performing the alleged sexual act.
They will be calling in rebuttal witnesses to give evidence to counter testimony by defence witness, spine specialist Dr Thomas Hoogland, who had testified that Anwar’s bad back made it unlikely for him to have sex.
Lead prosecutor Solicitor-General II Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden told the High Court this morning that he was making an application to bring in their witnesses in light of the evidence tendered by Hoogland. The application was made at the end of the defence case.
Hoogland, Anwar’s orthopaedic surgeon, had said that Anwar was unable to perform certain actions.
Yusof said that the prosecution needed to bring in new witnesses following Hoogland’s testimony which had unearthed “new developments on whether Anwar had the ability to perform the action he is accused of doing”.
“These were not expected and not proposed during the prosecution’s case,” said Yusof.
Yusof said he had discussed with Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh about bringing in the new witnesses, and that the defence had no objections.