Anwar's lawyer: Court expected to hear bail application on Wednesday

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An appeal by jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim to be freed o­n bail as o­ne of his jail sentences draws to a possible close is expected to be heard in court next Wednesday, his lawyer said.

Anwar is due for possible release o­n April 14, after having served four years of a six-year sentence for corruption, because prisoners are entitled to have their sentences cut by o­ne-third for good behaviour.

However, he faces a consecutive nine-year sentence for sodomy, which he is appealing against in court this week.

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His lawyer Sankara Nair told AFP that the Court of Appeal was expected to hear the bail application immediately after Anwar's appeal against his sodomy conviction and sentence ended.

A panel of three senior judges chaired by Pajan Singh Gill began Monday to hear submissions from Anwar's lawyers but the case was postponed Wednesday after prosecutors applied for a two-day break to attend to other matters, Nair said.

Medical treatment

The case would resume Monday and Nair said he expected the appeal to end Wednesday and for the bail application to be heard o­n the same day.

Anwar, o­nce heir-apparent to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, is seeking bail and a stay of execution of his sodomy sentence because he requires medical treatment, he added.

Anwar is suffering from a slipped disc and needs surgery for his back, which was allegedly injured while in detention.

He arrived for the start of his Court of Appeal hearing o­n Monday in a wheelchair, wearing a neck brace, and told reporters: "My back pain is excruciating."

Anwar claims he was framed to prevent a political challenge to Mahathir, an allegation the government denies. - AFP



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