KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The sodomy trial of a Malaysian politician was delayed after allegations of an affair between a female prosecutor and the politician's accuser, officials said.
Lawyers for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim have asked for the charges against him to be dropped, CNN reported Monday.
Farah Azlina, a female member of the prosecutor's office, is alleged to have had an affair with Mohd Saiful, the male aide who accused Anwar, 62, of sodomizing him in June 2008, Malaysian government news agency Bernama reported.
Anwar war arrested in July 2009, just months after his opposition political coalition made major gains in parliamentary elections.
If convicted of the sodomy charge, he could face 20 years in prison.
Anwar says his arrest is a "dirty trick and conspiracy" orchestrated by authorities to discredit him.
The U.S. State Department has said that Anwar's arrest "raises serious questions and concerns."
The judge has postponed the trial until Aug. 9, CNN reported.
