Tan Sri Musa Hassan has refused to be a defence witness in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial, defence lawyers said today.
But the lawyers noted that the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) initially appeared to be “willing” to be interviewed during the start of the interview session this afternoon.
“In the beginning, he (Musa) appeared to want to be interviewed, but when we got to the merits of the case, he said he wanted to exercise his right not to be interviewed,” said Ramkarpal Singh.
“He has refused to be a defence witness,” said another defence counsel Sankara Nair.
The lawyer said that the interview with Musa lasted about “five to six minutes.”
Anwar’s accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari has admitted in court that he had contacted the former national police chief before reporting to the authorities that he was allegedly sodomised by the opposition leader.
The star witness told the High Court in May last year he had briefly spoken to Musa on June 25, 2008 — the morning after he had met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at his residence — as well as a police officer, ACP Rodhwan Yusof at Hotel Mulia.
“It is a disadvantage to my client ... their (witnesses) evidence would have, could have been crucial to our defence ... why can’t you cooperate?” said Sankara, referring to the former IGP’s refusal to testify in court.
Besides Musa, another person was interviewed today — Anwar’s former bodyguard Khoharullah Abdul Majid.
Sankara said the defence has two more potential witnesses to interview — an Indonesian maid and a former Pusrawi hospital doctor. The two will be interviewed at 3pm tomorrow.
Justice Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah ruled that Anwar would have to enter his defence next Monday “whatever the outcome of the interviews” in the trial that began in the Sessions Court over three years ago.
The High Court ruled on May 16 that Anwar would have to defend himself on a charge of sodomising former aide Saiful three years ago.
Mohd Zabidin had concluded that there was a prima facie case against the 63-year-old opposition leader, who is facing a second sodomy case charge in the span of 13 years.
The Permatang Pauh MP was charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara condominium between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
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Subpoena him, and if he refuses to, charge him with contempt of court. Would be nice to see this man behind bars for all the damage that he has done to the PDRM and Malaysia.
Can a lawman defy the Law? In Malaysia it seems that all BN politicians from UMNO can and with impunity as the judges and courts are subservaint to BN-UMNO.
If Najib, Rosmah and ex IGP refuses to testify then on technical reasons alone, Anwar should be acquitted of all charges or else its a travesty of justice.
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