Anwar sodomy appeal rejected

Malaysia's Appeals Court yesterday rejected a bid by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to have a sodomy charge against him dropped, amid allegations of an affair between a government prosecution lawyer and the key witness.

Anwar faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of sodomising Saiful Bukhari Azlan. Anwar insists the Government concocted the charge in 2008 to sideline him after his opposition alliance made unprecedented electoral gains.

Government authorities deny conspiring against Anwar.

Anwar has insisted the sodomy charge be dropped after allegations surfaced that a young female prosecution attorney involved in the trial had an affair with Anwar's accuser, the 25-year-old male former aide Saiful.

Neither the female attorney, nor Saiful responded to the allegations.