Launching a broadside against the government-appointed prosecutor in his sodomy appeal, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said Muhammad Shafee Abdullah should return to law school.

Speaking to reporters at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, Anwar accused the veteran lawyer of making political speeches, instead of addressing the points raised by the defence.

Shafee, he added, had turned the proceedings into a "political trial and media charade".

The Umno-linked prosecutor concluded his submissions today with Anwar's defence team expected to reply on Thursday.

Anwar said Shafee failed to explain the presence of the third person’s DNA and had hypothesised that it belonged to Pusrawi Hospital’s Dr Mohd Osman Abdul Hamid.

"Suddenly the focus is on the first doctor who examined him (Saiful) and the prosecutor wants to impeach him?

"If the third person's DNA comes from Dr Osman, then prove it. Take his DNA," he said.

"Shafee also told court that if I want to prove my innocence, I must show my DNA is otherwise. He turned the burden of proof on me, asking me to submit my sample to some DNA international centres to debunk I am 'Male Y'.

"This is a criminal case, the burden of proof is on the prosecution (to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt).

 
"I am not the prosecutor and the whole charade is known internationally. I am the victim of a despicable conspiracy and now you say Anwar does not have evidence (his DNA), Anwar is at fault," he added.

Alternative, vernacular media commended

Continuing his tirade against Shafee, the opposition leader said the lawyer failed to establish the prosecution's case and therefore should remain in Umno instead of becoming a prosecutor.

Shafee had in the morning submitted that the Court of Appeal had convicted Anwar based on the DNA evidence.

The government-appointed lawyer said that if Anwar (left) claims that semen sample is not his, then he should rebut by conducting his own DNA tests to prove otherwise.

He yesterday said that the third DNA sample found on complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's perianal region could have been the result of sitting on a toilet seat sometime in the two days after the sodomy incident.

Menwhile, Anwar thanked the vernacular press and alternative media for balanced reporting.

He said this is compared to "BN-controlled" media, which had focussed on the salacious details of the trial to shame Anwar.

"I have been harassed and demonised for the past 16 years.

"(An acquittal) is the correct and honourable decision to maintain the integrity of the courts and give justice to me, Azizah (wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) and to my family and go on with my life."

He said that he does want to retire but perhaps the court will acquit him if he decides to retire.

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