Shiyam withdraws statement that Jaleel should take responsibility for judge

Chief of Defence Force Ahmed Shiyam has withdrawn his statement that Minister of Defence Moosa Ali Jaleel should take responsibility for the arrest of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed in 2012.

Shiyam was the Coastguard Commander, and Jaleel was the Chief of Defence Force at the time of the arrest.

Shiyam made this statement in a letter to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

Speaking in court today as a witness provided by the State, Shiyam said that he did make the statement in the letter to HRCM, that Jaleel and former Defence Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaan should take responsibility for the arrest, because it is the normal procedure; however, it was clear after further consideration that the proper procedure was not followed in this situation.

Meanwhile, then Vice Chief of Defence Force Farhath Shaheer has said in court earlier that Jaleel asked for advice regarding changing the alert status of the operation for arresting Judge Abdulla.

However today, Shiyam said that he was not aware of Jaleel’s participation in any meeting related to the judge’s arrest. He said that although it is normal procedure that meetings related to arrests are chaired by the Chief of Defence Force, he was not informed that the meeting related to the judge’s arrest was chaired by Jaleel.

The presentation of the testimonies by witnesses provided by the state against Jaleel was completed today. The judges decided that testimonies will not be presented by witnesses provided by Jaleel. The next hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow.

The trial against Tholhath in relation to the same case, was also held today. Presenting his testimony as a witness provided by the state, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismail Atheef said that he was not informed of any meeting being held regarding Judge Abdulla’s arrest, and that he only came to know of the arrest after the judge had been arrested.