PUTRAJAYA: The prosecution were forced to submit tomorrow due to new developments raised by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his sodomy appeal.
Lead prosecutor Tan Sri Dr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was granted the adjournment by a five-man Federal Court bench chaired by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria around midday today.
Shafee, who was initially scheduled to begin submission this afternoon following Anwar's legal team wrapping up its submissions today, sought the adjournment to prepare its submissions.
Shafee, met after proceedings today, said the prosecution needed to prepare replies to several new issues raised by Anwar during the appeal hearing which began last Tuesday.
He said the prosecution's submission only anticipated 85 percent of the issues contained in a copy of Anwar's written submissions served on them recently.
"We need to prepare for the other 15 percent(new issues)," Shafee said.
He added that the bench had also fixed for proceedings to run until Monday next week so the prosecution will have sufficient time to argue its case.
"I will start by laying down the facts(of the case)," he said, adding that at the moment only he would be submitting for the three-man prosecution team.
Anwar's counsel Ramkarpal Singh, who finished submissions today, said they will hear the prosecution's submissions first before deciding whether they would make reply submissions on Monday.
Shafee is expected to begin submitting tomorrow morning before the same bench, which is comprised also of Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif, Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong, Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar, and Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop.
Anwar was convicted and sentenced to five years jail on March 7 by the Court of Appeal for sodomising Saiful, 29, at a condominium at Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
The 67-year-old Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader was previously acquitted by the High Court on Jan 9, 2012.