High Court supports MP Jabir's prison sentence

Maldives High Court has today supported a decision by the Criminal Court to sentence Kaashidhoo MP Abdulla Jabir to 12 months in prison.

The MP was sentenced for refusing to provide urine samples to the authorities, following his arrest from Haa Dhaalu Hondaidhoo in November 2012.

In its ruling issued today, High Court stated that there was no room to overturn the Criminal Court sentence and that although the Criminal Court had not allowed MP Jabir enough time to prepare his concluding statement, the MP’s lawyer had not raised the issue with the court.

MP Jabir had also told the court that Criminal Court had not allowed him to prove his argument that the three witnesses who testified against him could also be the officers who tortured the MP during the arrest. However, the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) report stated that Jabir was torture by a single officer and therefore, the testimony of two witnesses is sufficient proof, High Court said.

Further defending the Criminal Court, High Court said that MP Jabir had failed to file evidence within the period allowed by the court. However, the second tier court also noted the lack of a codified procedure for criminal cases in the Maldives.

MP Jabir was sentenced by the Criminal Court on 20 February. The MP is seeking re-election and will face the parliamentary polls scheduled for Saturday.