Court order to halt the sale of Haveeru News Agency appealed in High Court

The temporary injunction issued by the Civil Court against the sale of Haveeru News Agency has been appealed in High Court.

Charges have been pressed against Haveeru News Agency Chairman Dr Mohamed Zahir Hussain by two of its former founders, Abdullah Faroog Hassan of G. Koggiri and Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa of H. Meerubahurugeaage.

The Civil Court earlier ordered to halt all efforts related to the sale of the agency citing that due to recent media reports of plans to sell Haveeru News Agency and its subsidiaries, the sale of the agency before the Civil Court makes a decision on the case filed in this regard could infringe the rights of its founders.

The case filed to Civil Court demands, as per the agreement, equal shares of the profit of Haveeru News Agency to Mohamed Zahir Hussain, Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa, Abdullah Faroog and Mohamed Naeem from 1 April 1983, the day the agreement regarding the creation of Haveeru News Agency was signed, until the present day.

Speaking at the trial in High Court today, Mohamed Zahir Hussain’s lawyer Husnu Suood said that while the charges filed were regarding Haveeru News Agency, Haveeru News and Haveeru News Agency are two separate entities.

Husnu Suood said that Haveeru News Agency was dissolved in 1985, and any charges against Haveeru News Agency should thus have been filed back then.

He said that Haveeru News was established on 1 January 1979 under the name of Mohamed Zahir Hussain alone. He said that as the temporary injunction was issued after evidence had been presented to the court to prove that Abdullah Faroog Hassan and Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa held no stake in Haveeru News, the two individuals had no right to request for this order.

He said that while the purpose of the temporary order was to avoid losses that might arise from the sale, the charges were filed to claim rights related to ownership, which would not be lost as a result of the sale.

He said that the Civil Court had not considered the losses that might be incurred as a result of delays in the sale of Haveeru News, the brunt of which would be borne by Mohamed Zahir Hussain.

Responding to the claims, lawyer representing Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa and Abdullah Faroog Hassan, Ibrahim Riza said that the agreement between the four individuals states that Haveeru News and its publishing premises are owned by Haveeru News Agency, and according to the agreement, Haveeru newspapers and magazines must be published under the supervision of an editor and head elected by the board of the agency.

Concluding today’s trial, the judges announced that the verdict will be delivered at the next session.