Wednesday
30th Oct 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Judicial services commission
Maldives Judicial Watchdog Investigates Apex court judge who acquitted former President
Justice Mahaz in the middle.
Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has opened an investigation into Supreme Court judge, Mahaaz Ali Zahir, who acquitted President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Qayyoom’s appeal at the apex court.
Justice Mahaz chaired the bench in President Yameen's appeal case at the Supremer Court.
Justice Mahaaz is being investigated for having lunch with fellow justices on the day President Yameen was acquitted.
In a message to the Judge’s Association Viber Group, Mahaaz stated that he wishes the investigation to occur fairly, as open court hearings.
Speaking in reference to the alleged disciplinary issue, Mahaaz stated that it is a common practice for justices to order lunch for fellow justices. He further stated that on the day President Yameen was acquitted, he ordered lunch and paid for it and that all the justices were aware of where the food came from.
Mahaaz stated that he ordered the food with his own money and he had the payment slip for the food he purchased. He added that food he bought was not free or cheap and neither had he brought anything peculiar.
Mahaaz explained that since he ordered the food himself, the vendor called his phone for delivery, therefore he had shared the phone number of the delivery person with an administrative staff at the court to collect the food.
President Yameen appealed the five-year jail sentence issued by the Criminal Court in 2019, and Judge Mahaaz presided over the bench that acquitted President Yameen’s appeal case at the Supreme Court.
According to sources, the complaint against Mahaaz was submitted by an MDP activist and JSC has formed a committee to oversee the investigation of the disciplinary case.
Mahaaz assured that he offers full cooperation to the JSC in their investigation.