Tag: Maumoon Hameed

Supreme Court orders Criminal Court to restart trials

The Supreme Court has ordered the Criminal Court to restart trials following the court’s decision to suspend all cases in the absence of a prosecutor general (PG).

In a statement today, the Supreme Court said it had told the Criminal Court that the criminal justice system must proceed in order to maintain constitutional rule.

The apex court ordered the Criminal Court to “continue with all ongoing cases without any obstruction, and continue issuing rulings such as that on [pre-trial] detentions as before.”

The Criminal Court had announced yesterday it will halt all ongoing cases as the PG’s position has been vacant for more than 30 days.

Former PG Ahmed Muizz had resigned from his position shortly before the parliament was set to debate a no confidence motion against him.

Speaking to Minivan News, deputy PG Hussein Shameem condemned the Criminal Court for its decision, alleging the court had not discussed the matter with him or the parliament.

Further, people held in pre-trial detention may have to stay in remand centers if cases do not go ahead, Shameem said.

“So what do they do now, it would not be fair to keep them in there until the parliament comes back to work from recess after three months and appoint a new PG,’’ Shameem said.

“That is one of my biggest concerns over this issue, it is a responsibility of the PG office to uphold constitutional rights of the people.’’

There were no laws stating that the deputy PG cannot fulfill the responsibilities of PG in the case of the position being vacant, Shameem added.

He argued that PG’s office’s work must not come to a halt because the parliament had failed to appoint a new PG.

On December 10, President Abdulla Yameen proposed his nephew Maumoon Hameed for the post of Prosecutor General and submitted the name to the parliament for the MPs to approve.

The issue was sent to parliament’s Independent Commissions Committee and the committee decided to seek public opinion on him before sending it to the parliament floor for voting.

However, the parliament is now on recess and will not start work until March.

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Majlis Committee to seek public opinion on Maumoon Hameed

People’s Majlis’ Independent Institutinos Committee has decided to seek public opinion on Maumoon Hameed, President Abdulla Yameen’s nephew whose name he recently proposed for the post of Prosecutor General.

Speaking to local media, Chair of the Committee MP Ahmed Sameer said members of the public can give their views on Maumoon Hameed through the People’s Majlis website till 10:00 am next Monday. He said the parliament is currently working on technical details to make this possible and comments submitted will not be publicized to prevent it from being abused. The committee members will seek answers from Maumoon Hameed for comments made.

“PG has the power to prosecute or not prosecute, so the committee felt it is very important to know the publics opinion on such a person. Our objective is to carry out everything related to his position in the most transparent manner, because it is such a revered and exalted position.” MP Sameer was quoted as saying.

Hameed who is a lawyer by profession has to win parliamentary majority approval before he can be appointed to the position.

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President proposes nephew for Prosecutor General post

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has proposed his nephew Maumoon Hameed for the post of Prosecutor General (PG).

Hameed is a lawyer by profession and is the son of former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed. Hameed has to win approval by a parliamentary majority before he can be appointed to the position.

Former PG Ahmed Muizz resigned from his position on November 25 shortly before parliament was set to debate a no-confidence motion against him.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) filed the motion against Muiz on October 24, claiming that that he had failed to take action against the police and the military officers who mutinied against former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 2012.

Former Tourism Minister during the MDP government Mariyam Zulfa and current Deputy PG Hussain Shameem had also submitted applications for the vacancy.

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