Lawyers for Anwar Ibrahim will have three weeks beginning August 8 to present their witnesses in the Malaysian opposition leader's long-running sodomy trial.

A high court judge announced the dates Wednesday, setting the stage for Anwar to take the stand in his own defense for the first time. His lawyers will try to prove the government manufactured the case against Anwar in the hopes of weakening him politically ahead of elections expected next year.

The lawyers also say they want to question Prime Minister Najib Razak to determine if he played a role in bringing the case against Anwar.

The prosecution's case relied heavily on the testimony of a former aide to Anwar, who said the opposition leader sodomized him at an apartment in 2008.

The judge ruled the former aide's testimony was “credible” and needed to be answered by the defense. Anwar's lawyers say the court has already pre-judged the case.