Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem to Appear Before Judiciary Committee Amid Removal Motion

Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem is scheduled to appear before the Maldives Parliament's Judiciary Committee on Thursday in response to a motion seeking his removal from office. The motion was filed by Mohamed Shahid, the MP for Hulhudhoo, citing several grounds for dismissal, including controversial legal decisions and allegations of misconduct.

Husni Mubarak, the PNC MP from Manadhoo Constituency and chair of the Judiciary Committee, confirmed that PG Shameem's five-day period to respond to the allegations will expire tomorrow. As per parliamentary procedures, he will be given an opportunity to present his defense the following day.

The motion to remove Shameem outlines several key justifications, including the withdrawal of cases against former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed and former Youth Minister Ahmed Mahlouf, the decision not to appeal the lower court's ruling in the high-profile "Safari Rape Case," the withdrawal of charges against Milandhoo Constituency Member Ali Riza, and the dismissal of numerous alcohol-related cases. Additionally, a photograph of Shameem with a bottle of alcohol, shared on Instagram, has further fueled the controversy.

Shameem was appointed as Prosecutor General in December 2019 by the 19th Parliament, which holds a supermajority of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), with 74 votes in favor. His five-year term is set to expire in approximately three months.

As the Judiciary Committee prepares to hear Shameem's response, the case has garnered significant attention, raising questions about the independence of the judiciary and the political implications of the removal motion.