Witness chided in Anwar trial

Witness chided in Anwar trial

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The judge presiding over the sodomy trial of Malaysian former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim lost his patience on Monday with a senior police witness and called him "stupid".

Chief inspector Sampornah Ismail, who led interrogation of Anwar's adopted brother Sukma Darmawan last year, was asked by defense lawyer Karpal Singh if he agreed Sukma was a timid and "soft person".

"He is just like normal," Sampornah said. The stocky inspector also agreed with the lawyer that Sukma, who is slender and appeared pale, was "physically like you".

Sampornah was then chided by Justice Arifin Jaka, who said the physique between the two men was different. "He is a stupid witness," the judge added, triggering laughter in the normally solemn courtroom.