High Court Judge Augustine Paul threw out an application to summon the witnesses, including three men who initially alleged that they had sex with Mr Anwar, but later said that police forced them to confess.

The judge has accepted a proposal by the defence to summarise its case on March 23, almost five months after the start of the trial.

The BBC's Simon Ingram in Kuala Lumpur: Another setback in a long line of setbacks

The trial has been adjourned until then.

Court officials said they expect the Justice Paul to deliver his verdict by the end of the month.

Anwar 'not surprised'

Mr Anwar said he was not surprised by the judge's decision to disallow the witnesses.

"It is unfortunate that 10 very key witnesses have been denied. It is ok, it is not surprising," he added.

The former deputy prime minister and finance minister is on trial for four charges relating to corruption and abuse of office. He has also been charged on a further five counts of engaging in illegal sex.

Mr Anwar has denied all the charges and says he is the victim of a political conspiracy.

He faces up to 14 years in jail if he is convicted of the corruption charges. He also faces trial on another charge of corruption and five counts of sodomy, which carry a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping.

'Crucial testimony'

Jamal Amro: 'Crucial' testimony

Among the unsummoned witnesses is an American citizen, Jamal Amro, who frequently drove Mr Anwar and other Malaysian ministers and diplomats visiting the United States.

On Monday, Counsel Christopher Fernando asked Judge Augustine to hear Mr Amro's testimony.

He said the driver was crucial to the defence argument that police were part of a conspiracy to remove Mr Anwar from power.

The defence lawyer said Jamal would testify that he was driving a Malaysian embassy official from Washington to New York when the official offered him money to say he had slept with Mr Anwar. Sodomy is a crime in Malaysia.

Justice Paul's verdict is expected soon

According to Mr Fernando, Jamal refused to participate in the scheme and complained about the conduct of the embassy official to the Malaysian ambassador.

The defence also asked for authority to call Anwar's adopted brother, Sukma Dermawan, and his former speechwriter Munawar Anees.

The two men pleaded guilty in September to being sodomised by Mr Anwar and were sentenced to six months in jail. They later lodged appeals saying police had forced them into making false confessions.

Last week, a former senior aide to Mr Anwar said he was stripped while in police custody and told to confess to being sodomised by the former deputy premier, but he refused to do so.

Judge bars evidence

Judge Augustine recently ordered the defence to clear witnesses with him before they are allowed to testify.

He has also barred the defence from presenting evidence relating to allegations of sexual misconduct by Mr Anwar or from trying to prove a political conspiracy against him.

The defence has called 22 witnesses since opening its case on March 8.

Election gains

The development comes shortly after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's ruling National Front coalition won state elections over the weekend in the eastern state of Sabah.

The poll was widely anticipated as the first electoral test for Dr Mahathir since he sacked Mr Anwar last September.