The Criminal Court has today refused to accept terrorism charges against 89 opposition supporters from Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo Island.
Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin resubmitted the cases after Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed dismissed the cases on Saturday after state prosecutors failed to attend a hearing scheduled for 10am.
The 89 are accused of setting fire to government buildings on Thinadhoo following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s ouster in February 2012.
Judge Abdulla had last week ordered 55 of the 89 defendants be held in detention pending the outcome of the trials, claiming the accused were intimidating witnesses. All have since been released.
Nasheed yesterday called on Muhsin to respect the judge’s decision stating: “Abdulla Mohamed has decided the case is invalid. When the prosecutor general submits the same cases to his desk again saying he has the power and authority of the state, that is an affront to the rule of law and courts.”
The former president also said that the military’s detention of the judge during his tenure was “wrong”.
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