PG says he was not given enough time to prepare defence statement

Prosecutor General (PG) Ahmed Muizzu has said that he was not given enough time to prepare his defence statement to the Independent Institutions Committee regarding the no-confidence motion against him.

He told Sun Online today that he has, nonetheless, submitted his statement to the committee.

“I don’t think I was given enough time to prepare my defence statement for the no-confidence motion filed against me. Nonetheless, I have submitted my statement before the deadline given by the committee. But I didn’t have time to prepare a proper defence statement,” he said.

Muizzu did not give any details of his defence statement.

The no-confidence motion against Muizzu was filed by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and Muizzu was asked to submit his defence statement in writing yesterday.

The decision to ask Muizzu to submit his defence in writing was passed by the committee at its meeting yesterday, after MDP was accused by MPs of other parties of conducting the meeting against the regulation.

Following disorderly conduct by MPs, the committee decided that it lacked a suitable environment to invite Muizzu to the meeting to present his defence statement verbally.

Chairperson of Independent Institutions Committee Ahmed Sameer said today that the committee will make a decision on the matter after assessing Muizzu’s defence statement.