Updated March 07, 2014 21:19:53
A Malaysian court has found opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim guilty of sodomy, overturning his earlier acquittal by a lower court.
The Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Anwar had anal intercourse with his male aide in 2008.
Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia and punishable by up to 20 years in jail.
Mr Anwar's lawyers are expected to appeal against the ruling at the country's highest court and win a stay of the sentence.
However, the judgement could affect his plans to compete in a key state by-election this month.
The 66-year-old veteran politician, who was cleared of sodomy in 2012, says the charge was a political ploy intended to damage his reputation.
'There is absolutely no case for them. This is clearly seen to be political,' Mr Anwar said.
It is not the first time the former deputy premier has faced sodomy charges.
In 1998 Mr Anwar was sacked from the number two post in the ruling party by then-ruling strongman Mahathir Mohamad, and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges.
The sodomy charge was later overturned, and Mr Anwar was released from prison in 2004 to take over the opposition.
Reuters/AFP
Topics:courts-and-trials, government-and-politics, malaysia, asia
First posted March 07, 2014 21:09:33
Posted by Unknown on Friday, March 7, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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