The head of Malaysian police intelligence testified yesterday that he suspected accusations of sexual misconduct against the former deputy prime minister Mr Anwar Ibrahim were false and part of a campaign to discredit him.
In a development helpful to the defence at the end of the first week of the trial, the prosecution released a three-page report to the Prime Minister, Mr Mahathir Mohamad, written last year by a key prosecution witness, the police intelligence chief, Mr Mohamed Said Awang, after the allegations against Mr Anwar first surfaced.
"What I said is, through our sources, the allegations do not have any truth and the sequence of events appears to be something deliberately created," Mr Said said, translating his report into English for the court. The trial is being conducted principally in Bahasa Malaysian.
The report, dated August 20th, 1997, was sent to Mr Mahathir with two statements by Ms Ummi Hafilda Ali, sister of Mr Anwar's then personal secretary, and his driver, Mr Azizan Abu Bakar, retracting their earlier accusations of sexual misconduct.
"Apart from that, there are indications that there may exist certain groups that may have their own agenda and play a role behind the scenes to urge Ummi and Azizan to smear Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim," Mr Said commented.
When the trial opened last Monday Mr Anwar (51) denied four charges of using his position and influence to quash any criminal prosecution against him. His lawyers argued that police reports into the sexual allegations would prove Mr Anwar's claims to be a victim of a high-level conspiracy to topple him.
The report released yesterday did not contain any mention of prominent leaders, as the defence team had suggested, prompting claims that there was another mystery report which did name them.
Judge Augustine Paul ordered the prosecution to look for the report after Mr Said claimed he could not remember how many reports he had filed to Mr Mahathir about the case.
Mr Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister and finance minister by his former mentor, Mr Mahathir, on September 2nd.
The hearing was adjourned until Monday.