Anwar Ibrahim’s former aide Rahimi Osman has claimed that he was coerced to sign two statutory declarations in relation to accusations that the former had sodomised another aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

NONE According to Rahimi’s police report, the first statutory declaration was signed on June 28, 2008 at the Quality Hotel, Shah Alam.

The second was signed several days later in Petaling Jaya.

On June 28, Anwar and his followers had gathered at Quality Hotel, hours after Saiful lodged a police report alleging that he had been sodomised by Anwar.

Rahimi claimed that he second statutory declaration was to amend the content of the first document which had implicated Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor in an alleged conspiracy over Anwar’s second sodomy trial.

"Both statutory declarations are totally untrue. I was forced to sign them. I was not given a copy of both documents.

“Because the statutory declarations were untrue, I want to tell what actually happened, thus, I have made a new statutory declaration today which has the true story,” read Rahimi’s report.

Rahimi added that he had appended a copy of the latest statutory declaration with his police report.

Worried over safety

He also said that he had signed the two statutory declarations in question because he was worried for his safety, given that Anwar’s supporters had surrounded the hotel.

Two of Anwar’s lawyers, Latheefa Koya and Saiful Izham Ramli, furthermore, detained him at the hotel for several days along with a friend.

"They forced me to sign the statutory declaration although I completely disagree with the content,” wrote Rahimi in the police report.

According to the report, Rahimi said he was contacted by Latheefa several months ago by telephone to sign yet another statutory declaration.

“She said that the (old) statutory declarations that I had signed have disappeared. However, I did not entertain them and tried my best to stay away from them.”

Meanwhile, Rahimi’s police report also sought protection because of concerns that he and his family would be harassed.

“It is highly likely that I will become a witness in this (the ongoing sodomy trial),” he added in his report.

Lawyer: He was cooperative

In a short statement this evening, Latheefa denied employing any form of duress on Rahimi.

“He was at the time, a potential witness in (Anwar’s sodomy case), and as part of the defence team, we were merely preparing statements for potential witnesses. This is the norm in any legal defence. He voluntarily cooperated at all times,” said Latheefa.

Latheefa said it was “absurd” that it would take two years for Rahimi to claim that there was duress and that the statutory declaration was never used in the first place.

She said that Rahimi’s statement was “slanderous and malicious” and said that it was likely that the latter would be subject to legal action.

“I will be holding a press conference soon to explain further,” she said. 

Saiful Izham, meanwhile, expressed surprised at Rahimi's allegations, but declined to comment until he had seen the statement himself.

He conceded, however, to having been Rahimi's counsel during the time in question.

A team of Anwar's 'bodyguards' earlier this afternoon issued a press notice stating they would hold a press conference tomorrow to rebut Rahimi's allegations