Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysian opposition leader found guilty of sodomy

Verdict could disqualify him from his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (C) and his wife Wan Azizah arrive at a court house in Putrajaya March 7, 2014. (Reuters)

The Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been found guilty of sodomy – a verdict that may disqualify him from his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

The conviction upholds the government's appeal of his acquittal two years earlier. Mr Ibrahim’s supporters claim the ruling is politically motivated and is aimed at ending his career.

The court of appeal ruled that Ibrahim had anal intercourse with his male aide in 2008, a crime in the Muslim majority country. His defence team's argument that DNA evidence had been contaminated was dismissed.

The judgement could affect Ibrahim's plans to run for election in a local state seat this month.

His lawyers are expected to appeal against the ruling at the country's highest court

That election could pave the way for him to take charge of Selangor, Malaysia's richest and most populous state.

Additional reporting by Reuters