Is a comma needed after 'wife'?

[Tan Elaine]

The trial has become a distraction for Anwar as he prepares his opposition alliance for general elections widely expected by early 2012. Najib's ruling coalition is working to regain at least a two-thirds parliamentary majority and recapture several states that Anwar's alliance wrested in 2008 polls.

The potential witnesses include Najib, his wife(,) Rosmah Mansor and the former national police chief Musa Hassan. Saiful had testified in court that he met with Najib shortly before June 26, 2008, the day he says he was sodomized on by Anwar.

Is a comma needed after 'wife'? Is there any reason for not inserting a comma?

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

A comma after wife would mean that Najib was his wife.

Rover

 

[Amigos4]

Saiful had testified in court that he met with Najib shortly before June 26, 2008, the day he says he was sodomized [STRIKE]on[/STRIKE] by Anwar.

Tan Elaine, the word 'on' is not necessary in your sentence.

 

[5jj]

A comma after wife would mean that Najib was his wife.

Rover

The potential witnesses include Najib, his wife(,) Rosmah Mansor and the former national police chief Musa Hassan.

Unfortunately, it could also mean that Najib was not his wife, and that the potential witnesses included: 1. Najib, 2. his wife, 3. Rosmah Manor and 4. the former national police chief, Musa Hassan. We need brackets if we wish to avoid ambiguity. Possible versions are:

The potential witnesses include Najib ( his wife), Rosmah Mansor and the former national police chief, Musa Hassan.
The potential witnesses include his wife (Najib), Rosmah Mansor and the former national police chief, Musa Hassan.
The potential witnesses include Najib, , Rosmah Mansor (his wife) and the former national police chief, Musa Hassan.
The potential witnesses include Najib, his wife (Rosmah Mansor) and the former national police chief, Musa Hassan.

Some people would put a comma after 'Mansor'.

Another possibility, more likely in AmE, would be

... and former National Police Chief (no comma) Musa Hassan.