Malaysia's supreme court has affirmed the conviction for sodomy of popular opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim after the court threw out his appeal.

Judge Arifin Zakat announced the verdict, saying the evidence against Ibrahim was "overwhelming," and the court agreed with the sodomy conviction. The prominent politician will go straight to jail to serve a five-year sentence handed down in March last year.

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The sentence will be Ibrahim's second jail penalty after he was found guilty of charges, which he insisted are trumped up so he could no longer run for office and challenge the dominance of the ruling party, Barisan Nasional.

Observers said Ibrahim is probably the only opposition figure who give Malaysia's governing coalition a run for its money.

The accused told the top court that he is innocent and the charges are mere fabrications from a political conspiracy to mess with his political career. He also advised the magistrates that they are unwittingly aiding the ruling coalition in the "murder" of judicial independence, which prompted the justices to storm out of the courtroom.

Ibrahim has been accused of having sexual relations with a male political supporter in 2008. Under the laws of Muslim-dominated Malaysia, sodomy is illegal although few are ever prosecuted.

The nation's High Court cleared Ibrahim of the charges three years ago, citing lack of sufficient evidence. The government appealed the decision before the country's top court, which struck down his acquittal. It is Ibrahim's appeal against this court decision that has been junked.

The politician previously served a six-year jail term for sodomy and corruption after he was ousted as deputy prime minister seventeen years ago.

In 2004, Ibrahim was released and led his three-party coalition to unprecedented gains in the 2008 and 2013 polls. In the elections two years ago, the ruling Barisan Nasional, which has been in power for nearly six decades, suffered its worst-ever defeat.

TagsMalaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, sodomy, Barisan Nasional