Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim Thursday won a key ruling in his sodomy trial, forcing the prosecution to hand over evidence including video footage and medical reports.
- The High Court ordered government lawyers to produce witness statements and reports from doctors who examined Anwar's accuser, 24-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who was an aide in his office.
- Anwar, who was sacked as deputy prime minister and jailed a decade ago on separate sodomy and corruption charges, welcomed the decision but said there was still no certainty he would get a fair trial.
- "I would say that we are glad with this particular judgement but we have to go through the processes because of past experience. We cannot be too presumptive," he said.
- He also said he was concerned that the court had denied the defence team access to DNA specimens, and criticised the prosecution's plans to file an appeal on the decision to release evidence, saying it was a delaying tactic.
- The 61-year-old opposition leader faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment if he is convicted of the charges, which he says are a conspiracy to frustrate his political ambitions.
- The earlier sex conviction was overturned in 2004, allowing him to go free after six years in jail.
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