After successfully putting Anwar Ibrahim behind bars for sodomy, veteran lawyer Shafee Abdullah has no qualms acknowledging a conspiracy against the opposition leader.

 

However, Shafee, who was engaged by the attorney-general's chambers to prosecute Anwar, said a conspiracy to get a wrongdoer is legal.

 

"Is it a conspiracy to get him for something he did or a conspiracy to get him for something he did not do?

 

"If he did it (sodomy) and people say we need to investigate and get him, that is not a conspiracy that is against the law," he was quoted as saying in an interview published in Mingguan Malaysia today.

 

He was responding to Anwar's claim that the Sodomy II charge is a political conspiracy.

 

Shafee added that even in other cases, police would conspire to get wrongdoers.

 

"The police will also collude ( pakat ) if they are investigating a case but that is a conspiracy that has no intention of breaking the law because that is the police's right to investigate including in Sodomy II," he was quoted as saying.

'Anwar is a coward and has something to hide'

In the interview, Shafee also lashed out at Anwar for testifying from the dock during the trial where he cannot be cross-examined.

 

"So he is a coward and had something to hide.

 

"Normally, statement from the dock is given by people who are weak of mind or have unintelligent brain. 

 

"Perhaps they are too young or have some mental retardation but that is not the case with Anwar," he was quoted as saying.

 

Shafee said the fact that Anwar could speak fluently and articulately meant there was no reason for him to give a statement from the dock.

 

He also rubbished Anwar entering jail was a sacrifice on the part of the opposition leader.

 

"What sacrifice? If it is a sacrifice, he should have just pleaded guilty. That would be a sacrifice.

 

"In this case, he was forced into jail as he was found guilty as he lied from the very beginning," he said.

 

The Federal Court on Tuesday upheld the Appeal Court’s decision which convicted Anwar for sodomy and sentenced him to five years’ jail.

 

He is currently serving his sentence in Sungai Buloh prison.