KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- The sodomy trial of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim entered its fifth day today with the High Court set to hear the defence's application for Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah to recuse himself from hearing the case.

However, the hearing was adjourned to tomorrow after Anwar's counsel, Karpal Singh, asked for time to respond to the affidavit-in-reply filed by the prosecution.

The recusal application was made based on the judge's decision relating to two articles published by Utusan Malaysian which Karpal Singh said was biased.

Anwar, 63, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor and member of parliament for Permatang Pauh, is alleged to have sodomised his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 25, at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condominium, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara,between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

The charge under section 377B of the Penal Code carries a maximum 20 years jail and whipping on conviction.

The high-profile trial, which had drawn coverage from both the local and foreign media, started last Wednesday, 18 months after Anwar was first charged on Aug 7, 2008.

Yesterday, Mohd Saiful was to have been cross-examined by the defence but the trial was postponed to today to hear the recusal application.