Civil court suspends fine levied on Champa Moosa

The Civil Court has today issued an interim order, enjoining Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suspend a decision to levy a 100 million Rufiyaa fine on well known businessman Mr. Mohamed Moosa (Champa Moosa).

The EPA, a government body, had pronounced the said fine against Mr. Moosa after a decision by the agency that he had acted in breach of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act 1993, during the development of Kaafu Atoll Thunbafushi.

The Civil Court said that the injunction was allowed as implementing the decision to fine undermined calls of justice and equity in the case. The major ground for issuing the order, as stated in it, were the facts that the fined party had not been given the chance to present their case before the EPA when the fine was pronounced, and the report of the survey of Thunbafushi by the EPA had never been shared with the fined party.

The order said that the decision of the EPA would be suspended until the Court makes a decision in the case filed by Champa Moosa against that decision.

Few days after the fine was imposed, Mohamed Zuhair, Director General, EPA, resigned from the office claiming the decision to fine Champa Moosa was politically motivated.