Former Court of Appeal judge Tengku Baharuddin Shah Tengku Mahmud, best known as one of the judges who acquitted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim with regard to his first sodomy charge, passed away today.

Tengku Baharuddin, 68, died at his Shah Alam home at about 5.45am today. He has three sons and two daughters.

Prior to being a High Court judge and a judge at the Court of Appeal, Tengku Baharuddin also worked at the Official Assignee’s Office in the Insolvency Department.

His sudden death was confirmed by the Federal Court's Corporate Communications and International Relations division head Aizuddin Zolkeply to Malaysiakini.

Tengku Baharuddin was one of those who agreed with former Federal Court judge Abdul Hamid Mohamad in the majority judgment to acquit Anwar.

Although Anwar's appeal was heard at the Federal Court in 2004, Tengku Baharuddin was one of the judges from the Court of Appeal brought into the three-member bench headed by Abdul Hamid.

Abdul Hamid later rose to become chief justice. The dissenting judge who sat in Anwar's appeal was former Federal Court judge Rahmah Hussain.

It is understood that Tengku Baharuddin had suffered from a stroke for some time. His remains will be buried in Muar, Johor.