21. JAWI calls up Saiful

by Andrew Ong, Malaysiakini


Alleged sodomy victim Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, was at the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) this morning to give his statement over his sodomy allegation.

He has alleged that PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim had sodomised him.

Anwar lodged a complaint to Jawi over the allegation, stating that it was untrue and defamatory. He has also been called up twice by the religious department to give his statement.

This is Mohd Saiful's first visit to Jawi on this matter. He arrived at the department at 10am, wearing a blue shirt, black pants and a songkok.

He was accompanied by his father, Azlan Mohd Lazim, and lawyer, Zamri Idris.
Saiful spend about three hours at the department and left the scene without talking to the waiting reporters.

Saiful managed to evade about two dozen reporters spread out throughout the many entrances of the Jawi complex.

When Saiful emerged from the department at about 1.10pm, he did not smile for cameras nor acknowledge the media presence unlike his previous run-ins with the press.

He was flanked by several unidentified men before entering the Proton Waja which screeched off the tarmac.

Witnesses to the incident said that the car had four other men on board, all in dark glasses.

Saiful is currently under police protection and his whereabouts are unknown.

Saiful's lawyer Zamri was also evasive and refused to comment on the visit today.

"Saiful came to visit some Jawi officials," he said before leaving.

On July 9, Anwar had gone to Jawi to lodge a complaint, referred to as qazaf in Islamic law, to request a probe into ‘false allegations' pertaining to adultery or sexual misconduct.

Qazaf is an offence under section 41 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Act 1997.Under syariah laws, Saiful is required to produce four credible witnesses to back up his claims.

Failure would result in him being declared a fasid (unreliable person), and faces three years imprisonment, or a fine up to RM5,000 for bearing false witness.

Anwar pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Aug 8 to sodomising Mohd Saiful, a former aide, in a condominium in the city on June 26.

Last Friday, Mohd Saiful swore on the Quran at the Federal Territory Mosque that he had been sodomised by Anwar on June 26 and that it was not consensual.