Peguam bela yakin Anwar di bebaskan

Karpal convinced Anwar will be acquitted tomorrow

By Melissa Chi

January 08, 2012

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (right) helps Karpal to a drink during their national convention in Shah Alam, January 8, 2012. — Picture by Jack Ooi

SHAH ALAM, Jan 8 — DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh is certain Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will walk out of KL High Court a free man tomorrow, citing “sufficient” reasons. “I said that in open court in my submissions that he should be acquitted and I am repeating it here.
“It is not contempt of court certainly I have the right to repeat what I have said before,” he told reporters at the annual DAP party conference here, adding that is a probable case for an acquittal.
He added that should the high court rule that Opposition Leader Anwar is guilty, he will ask for a stay of execution and bail pending appeal.
“Many people say Anwar Ibrahim didn’t give evidence from the witness box, [that] he made a statement from dock.
“In all my experience, if you make a statement from the dock, the chances of success are not bright but that doesn’t mean you can’t secure an acquittal by making a statement from the dock,” Karpal said.
The Bukit Gelugor MP pointed out that the evidence from complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, as the solitary witness in the case, was “far from legitimate”.
“Look at his evidence, a man who says was ravaged for two days, he does not do anything, not even a report. After his alleged outrage, he attends functions organised by PKR and even goes to residence of Anwar Ibrahim.
Karpal also attacked the allegations of an affair between Saiful and a member of the prosecution, saying this had compromised the trial as a result.
“It’s an affair which has not been rebutted. The prosecution did not call or recall the complainant to deny the allegations of that affair,” he said.
Karpal also pointed out that Saiful’s evidence was rebutted by the first doctor he met after the incident, the prosecution’s witness Dr Mohamed Osman Abdul Hamid.
“What does he say? The complaint made to the doctor that plastic was introduced into his anus, unshaken evidence, by a professional, was against Saiful.
“That is sufficient for an acquittal. Under our law, an accused person has the right to remain silent, let alone make a statement from the dock; that is our legal system. In fact, that is sufficient for the judge tomorrow to return a verdict of not guilty,” he said.
Karpal said a candidate for an interim prime minister was unnecessary because Anwar would be the head of the Pakatan Rakyat government in the event the pact is voted into power.
“[God willing,] that will be the verdict tomorrow: not guilty,” he said.