KUALA LUMPUR: Prosecutors today told the High Court here they have evidence Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's semen was found on the body of his accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, vowing to prove the opposition leader's guilt "beyond reasonable doubt".

Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, in reading the prosecution's opening statement, said the prosecution would bring in semen specimens taken from within and outside Saiful's anal region, which the Chemistry Department had certified as belonging to Anwar.

"The prosecution will then prove beyond reasonable doubt the accused's guilt through the direct testimony of Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan and forensic evidence from doctors and chemists alongside circumstantial and documentary evidence".

The prosecution has lined up 28 witnesses, including chemists and doctors who had examined Saiful for the alleged sodomy.

Anwar stands accused of sodomising Saiful on June 26, 2008 between 3.01pm and 4.30pm at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara condominium on Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. He has pleaded not guilty to the sodomy charge under Section 377B of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years.

Mohd Yusof added that the prosecution would put forth evidence that Anwar had instructed Saiful to go to the condominium at 2.30pm that day.

The lead prosecutor also said Saiful left Anwar's office, where the former was working as a junior aide, at 1.45pm and arrived at the condominium at about 3pm.

"After entering the Unit 11-5-1, Saiful saw the accused (Anwar) sitting at a table while eating alone. In this Unit 11-5-1, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was sodomised by the accused. Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan left the Unit 11-5-1 at about 4pm," Mohd Yusof said.

After the charge was read to Anwar, he stunned the packed courtroom by remarking in a firm voice: "Tuduhan jahat, fitnah. Frivolous charges, trumped up by political masters. Saya pohon bicara (I claim trial)".

Anwar then sat down again in the accused person's dock as Mohd Yusof proceeded to read out the prosecution's opening statement.

Today, Saiful took to the stand to give evidence against Anwar as the trial's first witness after levelling the sodomy allegations more than one-and-a-half years ago.

As Saiful entered the courtroom, one of Anwar's daughters shouted "Bertaubatlah (repent)" while Anwar's supporters jeered "Hollywood star".

Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh objected to a line in Saiful's police report of the alleged sodomy, lodged on June 28, 2008, where Saiful said "the last time" Anwar sodomised him was on June 26, 2008.

Karpal contended that the words implied that there were previous occasions of alleged sodomy whereas Anwar was only facing one charge.

Mohd Yusof explained that the police report could not be changed retrospectively and that prosecutors had the discretion to fix the number of charges pressed, regardless of how many times an incident was alleged to have occurred.

High Court Judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah then agreed to expunge the disputed words from court evidence. Tomorrow, Saiful will resume his testimony behind closed doors.