KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A former police chief was convicted Tuesday of assaulting Anwar Ibrahim on the night of the former deputy prime minister's 1998 arrest.

Abdul Rahim Noor, who resigned from his powerful post as inspector general of police following the assault, pleaded guilty after the prosecution agreed to a lesser charge.Abdul Rahim's case has been closely watched because it is the first time in Malaysia -- where police enjoy sweeping powers -- that a chief has been forced to resign or charged in court for abuse.

Anwar is currently serving a six-year sentence for abuse of power and is on trial for an act of sodomy, charges he says were fabricated to prevent him from challenging Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has ruled Malaysia for 18 years.

While Abdul Rahim was originally charged with causing "grievous hurt" to Anwar -- which carries a possible 31/2-year prison sentence -- the final charge dropped the word "grievous" and reduced the maximum punishment to one year. Prosecutors did not explain why they agreed to reduce the charge.

"I am satisfied with the facts presented by the prosecution. I find you guilty and you are convicted of this offense," Sessions Court Judge Akhtar Tahir ruled after Abdul Rahim's guilty plea.

The judge then began hearing arguments from both prosecutors and defense lawyers on the sentence, which was expected to be announced on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Sallehuddin Saidin called for a jail sentence.

"As a former police chief, he has to protect society and ensure laws are enforced," he said. "If the court fails to give a jail sentence, it will erode public confidence in the judicial system."

Following Anwar's Sept. 20, 1998, arrest, the ousted leader appeared at his arraignment with a black eye, and his supporters accused police of beating him.

The night before the arrest, Anwar -- who had been fired by Mahathir 18 days before -- had addressed a massive anti-government rally in Kuala Lumpur.

He was driven to a lockup in the federal police headquarters where he was beaten, defense attorneys said.

Abdul Rahim resigned last year as speculation mounted that he was the one who had carried out the assault.

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But K. Kumaraendran, Abdul Rahim's lawyer, told the court during the sentencing hearing that his client was under great stress on the night of the assault because Malaysia was hosting the Commonwealth Games and Britain's Queen Elizabeth was visiting the country -- both enormous security concerns for the police chief.

"In a brief moment of weakness, he had hit his very good friend, Anwar Ibrahim," Kumaraendran said. "He has always served the country before himself. The family of the victim has forgiven him."

Doctors who testified in an independent investigation on the assault last year said the beating could have killed Anwar. In his defense, Abdul Rahim said that Anwar taunted and provoked him.

Anwar says Mahathir may have ordered the beating. Abdul Rahim said he acted on his own.

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