February 1 judicial coup perpetrators main target was Pres Yameen: Adam Shareef

Member of Parliament for Maduvvaree Constituency Adam Shareef has stated that the perpetrators of the February 1, 2018 judicial coup had one target and that target was President Yameen. Adam Shareef credited President Yameen for his decisive actions that day.

He made this statement in response to a call from Maldives Reform Movement (MRM). A statement by MRM said that President Yameen must be investigated for his comments that Judges, political leaders, heads of institutions who interfered in the legal system must be investigated and jailed for their crimes. President Yameen, in his speech, accused MRM leader and half-brother former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was behind the February 1 Judicial coup.

MRM had denied the claims.

In a tweet posted, Adam Shareef said any and all actions President Yameen undertook when faced with the situation, was well within his prerogative as the President. He added that President Yameen’s decisive actions prevented a worse situation from unfolding.

In his speech in Vilimale’, President Yameen said that President Maumoon was arrested after he had attempted a criminal act. The actions of February 1, were designed to uproot the nation and carried from within the Supreme Court. President Maumoon, he said, was the engineer behind this coup.

He added that he had no say in the arrest. The decision was arrived at by the National Security Council, which included the cabinet, chief of defense and vice chief of defense. The committee, he said, finalized the decision.

“There’s an advisory committee on such matters that need to be decided by the President. The National Security Council, made up of cabinet members who takes decisions on these matters. The Council also includes Chief of Defense Force, Vice Chief of Defense Force. It’s a committee decision. I had no hand in submitting the motion,” the President added.

Adam Shareef was at the time serving as Defense Minister.