Malaysian Ex-Deputy Premier Rebuffed
The High Court ruled today that Malaysia’s prime minister is not required to testify in the sex trial of an ousted deputy premier, deflating defense hopes of proving that the charges are politically motivated.
“There is not an iota of evidence to show that Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is involved in a political conspiracy to fabricate evidence of sodomy to topple Anwar Ibrahim,” Judge Ariffin Jaka said.
His decision ended months of wrangling over a subpoena for the prime minister to answer questions regarding an alleged political conspiracy to frame Anwar.
Anwar was fired by Mahathir in September 1998, arrested and charged with corruption. A High Court judge convicted him in April last year and sentenced him to six years in prison.
The ex-deputy prime minister is now on trial on charges of sodomizing his former driver. He faces an additional 20 years in prison if convicted.
Anwar has maintained that Mahathir, a physician before entering politics, and other government leaders framed him in both cases to quash his chances of becoming prime minister.
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