PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have disputed reports of an out of court settlement by former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan, after Musa withdrew his defamation suit against the politician early yesterday.

Musa’s lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin told High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Asmabi Mohamad of his client’s decision to drop the defamation suit and settle the case out of court, saying there was a “misunderstanding” over his role in the 1998 “black eye” incident involving Anwar.

In the infamous incident, Anwar was beaten up by the then IGP, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor, while in the police lock-up following his first sodomy charge.

Musa, in withdrawing his suit which had been fixed for trial yesterday, had reportedly said he had accepted Anwar’s lawyers’ suggestion for an out of court settlement.

In a statement released yesterday afternoon, Anwar’s lawyers N Surendran and Latheefa Koya clarified that the withdrawal of the defamation suit against Anwar was “unconditional” and that there was no out of court settlement as alleged by Musa. They repeated that Anwar was satisfied with the unconditional withdrawal, hence did not seek costs.

“The withdrawal was initiated by Musa Hassan or his representative and at all times Anwar Ibrahim was ready to proceed with the case,” the duo said. “Lastly, our client stands by his police report dated July 1, 2008 and views this withdrawal as a vindication. [He] will continue to pursue the issues raised in the said police report.”

Musa sued Anwar for defamation four years ago, just three weeks after the Permatang Pauh MP lodged a report against him in 2008.

Anwar told the media yesterday morning that Musa’s decision to drop the defamation suit pointed to a government conspiracy to fabricate evidence in Sodomy 1 and the black eye case.

While the Permatang Pauh MP will not take any legal action against Musa, he has called for the setting up of a tribunal to investigate Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail’s role in the 1998 case.

Musa sued Anwar for defamation in 2008 after Anwar accused him and Abdul Gani of collaborating to cover up the black eye incident. Musa was then Bukit Aman’s assistant criminal investigation chief while Abdul Gani was the lead prosecutor in Anwar’s 1998 sodomy trial.

Anwar also accused the duo of tampering with a medical report and submitting false evidence that he had sodomised several people while in his post of deputy prime minister. In the ensuing trial, Anwar was found guilty and spent six years in jail before the judgment was overturned.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigations into Musa and Abdul Gani based on Anwar’s report eventually cleared both of any wrongdoing.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on Oct 17, 2012.