Anwar trial starts shakily

Tue, 08 Jun 1999 | Source: AP

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): The sodomy trial of ousted deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim got off to a rocky start on Monday when the prosecution changed, for a second time, the year of the alleged sexual offenses.

The prosecution originally said Anwar committed "carnal intercourse" against his former family driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, in May 1994. The state then amended the time frame to May 1992.

On Monday, the prosecution asked High Court Judge Ariffin Jaka to amend and broaden the time frame for the alleged acts of sodomy, now claiming they took place between January and March of 1993.

Anwar's defense team was surprised and immediately asked for a mistrial. The defense had already submitted to the court documents that provided Anwar with an alibi in May 1992. It said that the venue for the alleged sexual acts, the Tivoli Villa apartments, had not yet been built.

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