02 July 1999

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- The BBC reports the adopted brother of Malaysia's jailed former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, says police abused and threatened to kill him in an effort to coerce him into testifying he had sex with Mr Anwar.

"I was scared, frustrated, miserable and lost all hope."

In testimony given to the Malaysian High Court, Sukma Dermawan said he was frightened and humiliated into making a false confession. "I was scared, frustrated, miserable and lost all hope," he said. Sukma told the court he was sexually abused by a police officer while being interrogated.

He said that despite suffering from chronic bronchitis and asthma, he was put in a cold, damp cell in only his underwear. He was removed for periodic interrogations and returned.

Sukma is standing trial jointly with the jailed deputy premier Anwar on charges of sodomy. Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia and carries up to 20 years in jail. In April, Anwar was sentenced to six years in prison on the separate charge of abusing his office in an effort to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct.

Western human rights observers loudly condemned his conviction, saying his arrest and imprisonment has been orchestrated by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in an attempt to neutralize a political foe.

Mr Sukma also gave evidence that the police threatened to plant bullets in his car, opening the way for charges of illegally possessing ammunition, a crime that carries a mandatory death sentence. "They said they could plant bullets in my car," Mr Sukma told the court. "They said bullets were cheap, only 45 cents each."

The sodomy charges against Anwar were dropped when several key witnesses recanted their testimony on the stand. The corruption charges lodged against Anwar, however, were not dropped by the government.

Observers say the less-than-independent judiciary in Malaysia convicted and sentenced Anwar at Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's behest.

Source : Obtained from Datalounge