KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 (AFP) - The adopted brother of Malaysia's ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim said Tuesday he falsely confessed to a homosexual relationship with the politician because police promised to free him in exchange.

Sukma Darmawan, giving evidence in Anwar's sodomy trial, said police told him what to say in his confession to a magistrate in September 1998 -- that he had a homosexual relationship with Anwar and with Anwar's official driver Azizan Abu Bakar.

Sukma, asked by his lawyer Gobind Singh Deo why he made the statement, said: "I followed what was required by the police. I gave the statement as the police promised me that I would be freed the following day."

Anwar, who was sacked as deputy premier and finance minister by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on September 2, 1998, is on trial with Sukma, his Indonesian adopted brother.

They are charged with sodomising Azizan on one night between January and March 1993 at Sukma's apartment in Tivoli Villa in Bangsar, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur.

Sukma faces another charge of abetting Anwar to sodomise the driver.Anwar, once heir apparent to Mahathir, was jailed for six years last April for abusing his official powers to cover up claims of sexual misconduct. If convicted of sodomy, he could face another 20 years' jail.

He says he became the victim of a high-level political conspiracy after threatening to expose official corruption. The government denies any plot.Christopher Fernando, Anwar's lead counsel, told AFP the defence would go ahead with plans to call Mahathir as a witness. He said current Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin, named by Anwar as a leading conspirator, would "very likely" be called.

Sukma told Gobind there was no truth to the charges against him. He said he had asked Azizan to bring some items to his Tivoli Villa apartment in January 1993 but had no other contact with him.

Asked about his confession that he had shared a room and bed with Anwar when the politician lived at Petaling Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur, he replied: "I have never shared a room or bed with Anwar in that house."

Contrary to his confession that he was staying at Tivoli Villa in 1991 and 1992, Sukma said he moved there only in April 1993.

He said he bought the mattress on which the sodomy act allegedly alleged on February 4 that year and took delivery of it a week later.

Asked why he had stayed over the years at Anwar's various homes in Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya and Damansara, Sukma replied: "Anwar was also busy with official duties abroad and (his wife) Wan Azizah was busy with her work at the hospital.

"I stayed to look after the children and grandmother."

Sukma said Anwar visited him twice -- in mid-1993 and in 1994 -- at the apartment and on both occasions was accompanied by Wan Azizah.

In September 1998 Sukma and another man were jailed for six months in another case for letting Anwar sodomise them. They later appealed the sentences, saying police made them confess.

Anwar told the trial last week that police intimidated and stripped Sukma to extract a false confession of a homosexual relationship.

Judge Arifin Jaka said he might not use Sukma's confession despite an earlier ruling that it was admissible as evidence.

"I ruled that the confession was admissible but it does not mean I will use it. I may accept this part (Sukma's testimony that he was coached by police). It depends on the weight I attach to it," he said.

Arifin told prosecutors to ask specific questions about Sukma's testimony that he was briefed by police on what to say.

"Sukma's stand has been very consistent since the trial within a trial held last year to determine admissibility," he said.

The case continues Wednesday.