Suspension Of Judge Means That Former President Yameen Must Go Free: MP Shiyam

MP Ahmed Shiyam (Naifaru) has claimed that the suspension of one of the judges who had been on the judicial panel that had sentenced former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom to a five-year prison term meant that the former President should be allowed to go free.

MP Shiyam made the statement via Twitter with relation to the suspension of Judge Hussain Faiz Rashad, one of the judges who had sat on the judges' panel that sentenced the former President. He had been suspended after forensic analysis had positively identifed his voice as being on a leaked audio recording in which the former President's trial was being discussed.

In the audio recording, the voice that had been identified as belonging to Judge Faiz was heard implying that he was being held hostage. In addition, much was said that implied that third parties had influenced the outcome of the trial. Although audio recordings of the other judges on the judges' panel had also been leaked, the Judicial Service Commission stated that the Police investigation did not positively identify those voices as having belonged to those judges.

MP Shiyam asked if there was a reason to not nullify the verdict passed against the former President unanimously by all judges on the panel. He said that if a judge on that panel was being suspended, the former President must go free.

MP Shiyam had also stated that the Judicial Service Commission had "proved" that third parties had exerted undue influence over the judiciary.