Serious doubts have emerged over assault claims made by the Perth man whose fraud trial has sparked a national debate over the nikab.
The debate is over whether a Muslim woman should be forced to take off her nikab while giving evidence against him.
Despite Anwar Sayed’s barrister Mark Trowell telling the West Australian District Court yesterday morning his client had been “brutally stabbed in the chest and face” just minutes before and may not be alive for the trial in October, the accused’s son played down the alleged attack by describing his father’s condition as “very good”. Police said they had found a small scratch on Mr Sayed’s stomach, and no evidence of an assault.
As Prime Minister Julia Gillard said it would be impossible for a jury to determine the truth of evidence if they could not see a witness’s face, Muslim leader Ameer Ali said both the burka and nikab belonged in another era.
“The nikab and the burka, these belong to a tribal culture which has no place in a modern society,” Dr Ali said.
Mr Sayed’s son, Shuaib Sayed, told The Weekend Australian after visiting his father in Fremantle hospital yesterday he was in “very good condition” and had not been stabbed. But he said the family had received death threats and rocks had been thrown at their cars.
“There were death threats, there were notes, there were car windows getting smashed for two weeks ongoing,” he said. “We weren’t expecting this and I think justice should be done.”
His sister, Safiyyah Sayed, said police had never followed up the attacks on the cars. She said the family was traumatised by what had happened to her father. “It’s really traumatic for everyone.”
Mr Sayed, the former director of the Muslim Ladies College of Australia, has pleaded not guilty to fraudulently obtaining up to $752,000 from the state and commonwealth by inflating student numbers at the school.
Mr Sayed’s solicitor, Swaran Ludher, said Mr Sayed had arrived at his Leeming office covered in blood. “He did have lacerations on his forehead and a couple of buttons had also been opened up. The shirt was torn and there were stains of blood in that area.”
Mr Trowell had earlier this week raised concerns in court that the jury may not be able to assess evidence given by a witness, who only wants to be known by her first name Tasneem, because she wears a nikab, covering her whole body except for her eyes. Tasneem was a teacher at the college for about 12 months.
On Thursday, Mr Trowell said Mr Sayed had received death threats from people accusing him of trying to prevent Muslim women wearing the traditional covering. Mr Trowell stressed Mr Sayed did not want the coverings banned.
During a trial listing hearing yesterday, Mr Trowell said the dates for the trial could be affected by Mr Sayed’s recovery. “The only question will be if the accused is alive,” he said.
Police said it appeared no weapon had been used in the alleged attack. The Weekend Australian understands there was a rift between Mr Sayed and his former colleagues at the Muslim Ladies College, who saw him as a moderate Muslim.