KUALA LUMPUR – The high court today allowed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s application to obtain copies of all WhatsApp conversations between him and his former research assistant Muhammed Yusoff Rawther from 2018 to 2019.
Judicial commissioner John Lee Kien How @ Mohd Johan Lee allowed Anwar’s application during online proceedings, which were also attended by Anwar’s lawyer Navpreet Singh and Yusoff’s counsel Mahajoth Singh.
“After going through the submissions and the content of the statement of claim, it is my finding that the application has merits, and that the documents required are related and necessary for the determination of the case,” said JC Lee.
The court then ordered Yusoff to pay RM1,000 in costs to Anwar and fixed April 13 for case management.
In the discovery application, the Tambun MP, among others, seeks copies of all WhatsApp conversations between the duo from September 2018 to June 2019.
According to court filings, Anwar stated that the documents requested are essential to verify the “factual events” pleaded by Yusoff in his statement of claim.
Anwar added that it was necessary for him to peruse the documents as they are significant evidence of the core issues in dispute, and will help with the fair disposal of the civil suit.
Yusoff, as the plaintiff, filed the suit against Anwar on July 14, 2021 for allegedly sexually assaulting him in 2018.
He is seeking special, general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as interest, costs and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.
Anwar then filed a countersuit over Yusoff’s suit against him. – Bernama, January 11, 2023
