Tag: civil court

Court upholds Economic Ministry’s decision to disallow ‘G-Spot’ shop

The Civil Court has ruled the Economic Ministry had no grounds to authorise the name ‘G-Spot’ to be used as the name for a shop, after its owner Mohamed Nizam sued the ministry for refusing him permission to trade under the name.

Civil Court Judge Maryam Nihayath delivered the verdict on Sunday, stating that the word ‘G-spot’ referred to a part of the female sexual organs and was an inappropriate word to be used as a name for a shop. She also said that unless otherwise defined, most people would understand the word G-Spot as relating to female genitalia.

In the court hearings, State Attorney Aishath Seeza had argued defended the Ministry’s decision in disallowing the name ‘G-Spot’, claiming that it was an inappropriate shop name to be seen by women and children.

Nazim contested that ‘G’ stood for ‘Girls’ and that his shop was a ‘Girls-Spot’ as it sold female garments. He argued that Nazim contested that the ‘G-Spot’ as Seeza understood it did not exist, submitting articles published in The Times, BBC and CNN to support his argument.

He also said that he had spent a lot of money making the name board of the shop, printing paper bags and tags, all of which were done in the name of ‘G-Spot’.

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Thasmeen ordered to pay over Rf1 million to PA Nazim

The Civil Court today ordered opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to pay in a six-month period over Rf1 million (US$77,800) owed to coalition partner People’s Alliance (PA) Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim, reports Haveeru.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Hathif Hilmy told Thasmeen’s lawyer to pay monthly installments to the court until the debt is repaid.

The judge also ordered Thasmeen to pay Nazim Rf1,800 (US$140) incurred as lawyer’s fees, based on a rate of Rf300 per hearing. Nazim had however claimed Rf100,000 in compensation for lawyer’s fees.

Deputy Speaker Nazim sued Majority Leader Thasmeen to recover Rf1.92 million (US$149,400) unpaid from a loan worth Rf2.55 million (US$200,000).

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PA Nazim agreed to sell resort for Thasmeen

Minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim agreed to sell Shaviyani Kabalifaru, which was leased for development as a resort in 2005, for main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to raise money for a loan of over Rf2 million (US$155,600) owed to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thasmeen’s lawyer said at yesterday’s final hearing of Nazim’s lawsuit at the Civil Court.

According to local media reports, Shaheem Ahmed, Thasmeen’s lawyer, denied that an agreement was made between the pair to pay back the loan in a month, claiming that to date Nazim has failed to find a buyer for Kabalifaru as agreed upon in November 2008.

Shaheem also denied Nazim’s claim that the loan was taken to pay back Thasmeen’s debts at the Bank of Maldives.

However Nazim’s lawyer, Mohamed Saleem, disputed both claims, demanding documentation to prove that Thasmeen gave power of attorney to Nazim to sell the resort.

Judge Hathif Hilmy adjourned the hearing after informing the parties that a judgment would be given at the next court date.

Deputy Speaker Nazim is suing Majority Leader Thasmeen to recover Rf1.92 million (US$149,400) allegedly unpaid from a loan worth Rf2.55 million (US$200,000) along with Rf100,000 (US$7,782) incurred as lawyer’s fees.

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Badminton Association blocks female champion from training after losing court battle

Maldives’ female badminton champion Neela Ahmed Najeeb has alleged the Badmintion Association is refusing to allow her to train with the national team despite a court order to reinstate her membership.

The 25 year-old athlete, who holds a string of championship medals and has competed in several international competitions, was suspended from playing almost two years ago after clashing with her Indonesian coach, whom she said had attempted to make her run for four hours as punishment for missing a training session – something she was physically unable to do at the time.

“The Association unfairly and quite harshly terminated Neela without establishing adequate cause and without giving Neela the opportunity to defend herself,” Najeeb’s lawyer Mizna Shareef told Minivan News after the case was filed.

After three hearings Shareef claimed “the Badminton Association has stalled the case by appearing in court without having prepared their statements.”

The judgement, she said, would be a landmark case in encouraging more female  players to play sport at a professional level, “without fear of discrimination and unfair treatment.”

Prior to her termination, Najeeb had been selected to travel to Greece in June last year for a youth training session conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), however this was scuttled by her dismissal as endorsement from the Association was required.

The Civil Court last month overturned the Association’s termination of Najeeb, ruling that it was against the Association’s own regulations, and ordered her reinstatement within seven days.

The Badminton Association gave her membership for the time she had missed, but she claimed it was now refusing to allow her to train with the national team “as there is no women’s pool.”

“I’ve been training with the guys for eight years and there’s been no other female in the national team. Now they’ve said I can’t start training because there is no women’s pool,” Najeeb said. “The Maldives International Challenge is coming up in June and I need to train in order to participate. But I have to be a man to practice.”

Najeeb said she had sought help from the Ministry of Human Resources and Sports, “but the Ministry said it was not able to help as the decision was up to the association.”

Other players were also facing situations where their athletic careers were being blocked by a lack of support from the Badminton Association, Najeeb said.

“There are players who have sponsors but are losing opportunities to compete outside the country because they are not receiving support from the association.”

A former female badminton player who played the sport for 25 years prior to suffering a ligament injury told Minivan News that the Badminton Association was obligated to provide female players a chance to play “even if there is only one of them.”

“If there are not enough female players for a pool they still have to be given a chance to play,” she claimed, adding that males and females had trained together in the Maldives for a long time.

President of the Badminton Association Ali Ameer said the association had followed the court order to the letter, “and has no further comment.”

Minister of Human Resources and Sports Hassan Latheef told Minivan News that it would be inappropriate for him to comment until he had informed himself on the case, but said he would do so.

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DRP Leader in court with PA Deputy Leader

Main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali’s lawyer told the Civil Court Thursday that his client was ready to settle a disputed Rf1.92 million (US$149,400) debt to coalition partner People’s Alliance (PA) Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim, reports Haveeru.

At Thursday’s hearing, Thasmeen’s lawyer however argued that Nazim’s lawsuit was politically motivated as “the friendship between them is gone and they have become enemies.”

Deputy Speaker Nazim’s lawyer refuted Majority Leader Thasmeen’s contention that the loan was used to finance the 2008 presidential campaign, claiming that Thasmeen needed the money to repay a bank loan.

In early 2010, before he took over the DRP leadership, Thasmeen was sued by PA Leader and potential presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen to recover US$100,000. The case was eventually settled out of court.

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Judge Naeem promoted to Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court

Former Civil Court Judge Mohamed Naeem who was transferred to the Juvenile Court last week as a punishment for disobeying Superior Court, has been promoted to Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) said that the commission decided to appoint Naeem as the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court during a commission’s meeting held yesterday.

”The decision was made since the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court has been appointed to the High Court bench, and to keep the court functioning,” the JSC said in its website.

It also said the other judge at the Juvenile Court was currently on a scholarship.

The decision to transfer Naeem to the Juvenile Court was made during a meeting of the JSC held last Thursday.

‘’The commission decided to do so as an action taken against Judge Mohamed Naeem for he has refused to conduct trials of cases concerning the state, before the parliament gives consent to the [then] Attorney General [Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad],’’ JSC then said in a statement.

The JSC said that the case was investigated by the sub-committee formed to recommend disciplinary measures against judges.

The investigation of Naeem came after he reportedly declaring during the first hearing of a case filed against the state that he would not hear cases involving the state before parliament approved the reappointment of former Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad.

Naeem’s decision was in defiance of precedent set by both a majority of Civil Court judges as well as the High Court, which had ruled that such cases could be heard before the AG received parliamentary consent.

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JSC appoints Judge Naeem to Juvenile Court as punishment

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has appointed Judge Mohamed Naeem – who is currently a Civil Court Judge – to the Juvenile Court to punish him for disobeying the decision of a superior court.

The decision to transfer Naeem to the Juvenile Court was made during a meeting of the JSC held last Thursday, the commission said in a statement.

‘’The commission decided to do so as an action taken against Judge Mohamed Naeem for he has refused to conduct trials of cases concerning the state before the parliament gives consent to the [then] Attorney General [Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad],’’ reads the statement.

The JSC said that the case was investigated by the sub-committee formed to recommend disciplinary measures against judges.

Last Monday, the JSC announced that it had formed a subcommittee to investigate complaints about judges, indicating that its first subject was Civil Court Judge Naeem. This is the first case against a judge the JSC has conducted in more than a year.

The investigation of Naeem came after he reportedly declaring during the first hearing of a case filed against the state that he would not hear cases involving the state before parliament approved the reappointment of former Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad.

Naeem’s decision was in defiance of precedent set by both a majority of Civil Court judges as well as the High Court, which had ruled that such cases could be heard before the AG received parliamentary consent.

The very same day parliament rejected for a second time Dr Sawad’s reappointment.

According to the JSC, the committee – which includes JSC Chair and Supreme Court Justice Adam Mohamed Abdulla, Judge Abdulla Didi and General Public Member Shuaib Abdurahman – was established under the Judges Act and that its first scheduled task was selected by a vote taken among its members.

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PA Deputy Leader takes DRP Leader to court

Minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim has sued coalition partner main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to recover more than Rf2 million (US$155,600) allegedly owed to him.

According to Haveeru, Thasmeen’s lawyer argued at the Civil Court hearing on Thursday that Nazim’s claim was unclear as a number of financial transactions occurred between the pair during the presidential and parliamentary elections, requesting that the court ask Nazim to specify how the loan was given as well as the terms agreed upon for repayment.

After Nazim’s lawyer produced a document with Thasmeen’s signature, Judge Hathif Hilmy pointed out that the purported loan agreement had a reference number and it was therefore reasonable to expect Thasmeen to be aware of the details of the amount in question.

The judge adjourned the hearing after ordering Thasmeen’s lawyer to respond to the claim at the next court date.

Deputy Speaker Nazim is suing Majority Leader Thasmeen to recover Rf1.92 million (US$149,400) allegedly unpaid from a loan worth Rf2.55 million (US$200,000) along with Rf100,000 (US$7,782) incurred as lawyer’s fees.

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Government to refund harbour plot buyers

The government will refund buyers of four plots from the southwest harbour after the Civil Court ruled earlier this month that the sales were illegal, Male’ Mayor “Sarangu” Adam Manik told local media yesterday.

Adam Manik however revealed that the Attorney General’s Office will appeal the Civil Court’s ruling, which held that President Mohamed Nasheed’s decision to auction off 50,000 square feet of land from the harbour area was made illegally after the move was challenged at court by the opposition alliance.

The Civil Court decision came after the buyers made advance payments of 10 percent of the total amount due.

Should the High Court overrule the lower court decision, said the Mayor, the City Council will resume the project and offer the previous auction winners the same plot again.

Four out of eleven plots auctioned last year had been sold before the court ruling – two 2,000 square feet plots were bought for Rf27 million by SunFront, a 5,000 square feet plot was bought by BHM Traders owner Hussein Moosa while resort company Universal bought a 7,500 square feet plot for Rf46.5 million.

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