KUALA LUMPUR (May 4): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's bid to have the court decide on preliminary issues before the commencement of a sexual assault civil case brought against him by his former aide Muhammed Yusoff Rawther will be heard on Aug 4.
Following a case management on Monday, Yusoff's counsel, Rafique Rashid, also confirmed that his client has filed an affidavit opposing Anwar's bid.
The trial which was initially slated for June 2025.
In the court document sighted by The Edge, Yusoff said: "As a claimant, I have not been able to present my case as yet where the events giving rise to this action occurred on Oct 2, 2018, which is now approximately seven years and seven months."
Anwar wants several issues concerning Yusoff's movement and presence at Anwar's private residence on the day of the alleged assault to be decided either via affidavit or through in-camera (private) proceedings, and claims that the determination of these issues could potentially dispose of the entire case.
However, in his affidavit opposing the bid, Yusoff said that the issues raised can be settled via a full trial where "the mechanics of witness statements, examination-in-chief, cross examination, re-examination, production of documents and/or audio-visual evidence which will then bring into play witness credibility".
"All these are for the benefit of the trial of fact and law to make a just and fair decision, through judicial evaluation," Yusoff said in his affidavit.
The 33-year-old also repeated his previous statement that Anwar's various pre-trial applications and change of solicitors has caused numerous delays to the actual trial.
Yusoff filed his civil suit in July 2021, where he claimed that following his police report on the incident, he was accused of plotting to bring down Anwar and damage the PKR president's political career. He claims that the alleged sexual assault and the accusation have affected his mental health.
Anwar, meanwhile, has denied the claim and filed a countersuit.
Anwar's current solicitors in this case are Messrs Christopher & Lee Ong.