Anwar files wrongful accusation complaint against lawyer Shafee

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Friday filed a "qazaf" (false accusation) complaint against senior lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah over his sodomy case.

Anwar's wife, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, filed the complaint at the enforcement division of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), in Shah Alam.

She said the qazaf complaint was made after Muhammad Shafee's action of accusing Anwar of sodomising his former aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, without producing four male witnesses or the oath of the accused (Anwar), as required by (syariah) law.

"This report is lodged in the interest of justice and Anwar's rights as he was made a victim of an evil intention to tarnish his honour and personality," she said at a news conference, with her daughter Nurul Izzah and a few other PKR leaders also present.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also PKR president, claimed that Muhammad Shafee had made a statement at an open dialogue organised by Akademi Kepimpinan Kapten Hussein (Captain Hussein Leadership Academy) in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya on Feb 17, 2015.

Muhammad Shafee was the lead prosecutor in the Anwar sodomy II case.

The Federal Court had found Anwar guilty of sodomising Saiful Bukhari in 2008 and upheld the Court of Appeal's decision to sentence him to five years' jail.

Dr Wan Azizah said the Imam Syafie mazhab (school of thought within Islamic jurisprudence) placed the offence of sodomy under the "zina" (illicit sex) category, whereby a sodomy accusation without producing four male witness was deemed a qazaf offence.

"Therefore, in the interest of justice and one's rights, as well as in upholding syariah law, we urge that Muhammad Shafee's open statement be investigated under Section 36 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment (Selangor) 1995.

"We will give our cooperation if the JAIS enforcement division requires further details," she said.

Meanwhile, Anwar's counsel, Fadhlina Sidek, said they had earlier applied to the prison authorities to bring Anwar out to enable him to file the qazaf complaint himself, but it was rejected.

Instead, she said, the prison authorities suggested that JAIS officers come to (Sungai Buloh) prison to record Anwar's statement, but JAIS informed through a letter that it could not do that.

"Alternatively, JAIS asked us (Anwar's family) to come here (JAIS office) to lodge a (qazaf) complaint on his behalf, and we have also attached the affidavit that was signed by Anwar himself," she said.