Judge Who Sentenced Pres. Yameen To Prison Suspended

Judge Hussain Faiz Rashad, who had been on the Criminal Court judicial panel that sentenced former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom to five years in prison, has been suspended.

A statement released by the Judicial Service Commission read that the forensic analysis that had been conducted on a leaked audio recording has positively identified one of the voice as belonging to Judge Hussain Faiz Rashad. Based on the analysis, the Commission had decided to investigate the matter.

The statement said that on the basis of maintaining the integrity of the judiciary, the Commission has decided to suspend Judge Faiz for a period of 60 days, beginning on November 5.

In a previous statement, the Judicial Service Commission stated that "it was known" that the audio had been fabricated by stitching together different parts of a conversation.

Despite the content of the leaked audio recording, the Judicial Service Commission maintains that neither has any third-party met, or attempted to meet, with any of the judges that presided over the former President's case, nor has any third-party attempted to influence the case's outcome.