Yusoff Rawther's lawyers accuse authorities of silence over 2024 police report

Yusoff Rawther’s lawyers have accused the authorities of remaining silent over a police report he lodged against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak in 2024.

The former research assistant to Anwar lodged the report on Sept 12, two years ago, denying involvement in the drug and imitation firearm offences for which he was later charged, and claiming that he had been entrapped.

Lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali said the last communication they received from the authorities was on Jan 28 this year, when police said investigation papers were submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for review.

“The last correspondence from the authorities was (via a letter) dated Jan 28 this year, in which the police stated that the recording of statements from other involved witnesses was still pending further instructions from the AGC.

“This is despite the inspector-general of police’s standing orders and police standards, which dictate specific investigation timelines and require the complainant to be updated on the investigation’s status every two weeks.

“We have waited two years. Yet there has been no answer to date. Is this because the names involved belong to prominent, powerful, and influential figures? Are the procedures applied here different from those used for others?” he said to reporters at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today.

Yusoff is also suing Anwar over an alleged 2018 sexual assault, which the prime minister has denied.

Rafique (above), reiterating concerns he raised last year, said the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision in Yusoff’s criminal case had explicitly advised that investigating officers record statements from Anwar and Farhash.

Yusoff, 32, was initially charged on Oct 9, 2024, with trafficking 350g of cannabis found in his vehicle and possessing two imitation firearms.

He was taken into police custody on Sept 6 and denied bail before High Court judge Jamil Hussin acquitted him at the end of the prosecution’s case on June 12 last year. The AGC then appealed against the acquittal.

In acquitting Yusoff, the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove he had custody or knowledge of the drugs and imitation firearms, making it unsafe to order him to enter his defence.

The judge also said Yusoff’s right to a fair trial was prejudiced by the authorities’ failure to investigate the police report he lodged after his arrest, in which he claimed to have been framed by Anwar and Farhash.

The authorities, however, said there was no need to record Anwar’s statement as police had already done so during the initial stages of the investigation, on June 13, a day after Yusoff was acquitted.

Police response times questioned

Rafique today also questioned whether the authorities might act more swiftly if the report had been lodged by PKR’s youth wing, citing its recent police report over PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s claim that the United States had offered assistance to topple the then BN government in 2014.

"I would like to commend the authorities for their efficiency in investigating the alleged request for US intervention for assistance.

"The PAS president made the statement on Saturday; PKR Youth lodged a report on Sunday, and within 48 hours, the ce issued a clear statement.

"(While) we are still waiting for a clear statement from the police regarding Yusoff’s report, as we’ve waited for two years now.

"Perhaps we should have asked PKR Youth to lodge a police report on that matter too, seeing that the police might respond within two days, or even less."

Tracking Yusoff’s whereabouts

The Court of Appeal previously fixed June 15 to hear the AGC’s appeal against Yusoff’s acquittal, but the proceedings were adjourned to today after the appeal notice was found not to have been properly served on him.

The panel had instructed the prosecution to personally serve the notice of appeal on Yusoff in accordance with Section 314 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which deals with the non-appearance of a respondent in criminal cases.

At today’s proceeding, deputy public prosecutor Asnawi Abu Hanipah said the AGC was still tracking Yusoff’s whereabouts and had sought Interpol’s assistance through a letter dated July 22.

“So far, there is no latest information to confirm the whereabouts of the respondent (Yusoff) or the attempt to serve the notice on him.

“The UK National Central Bureau for Interpol has been informed and is currently gathering information on this matter,” Asnawi said, asking the court to fix another date for case mention.

Judge Azman Abdullah, who sat with judges Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz and K Muniandy, then fixed Nov 4 for case mention.

Seeking asylum in the UK

Rafique told reporters after today’s proceeding that Yusoff was well and wanted the appeal to proceed, as he wanted to clear his name.

“For all intents and purposes, he wants to proceed with this because, from day one, he has stressed that he is a victim of persecution.

“Yusoff did not abscond, as he left the country a free man. He was acquitted at the end of the prosecution’s case; he was cleared of all charges.

“He departed because he feared for his personal safety and sought asylum in the UK on human rights grounds.”

Rafique added that Yusoff had been issued an asylum seeker card and number, and that his application was being processed by the UK authorities.

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