Request for impeachment motion against High Court chief judge sent to committee for review

Judicial Service Commission (JSC)’s request for an impeachment motion against High Court’s chief judge Shujau Usman has been sent to the Parliament’s Judiciary Committee for review.

JSC requested the Parliament to initiate an impeachment motion against Shujau Usman last week, following the conclusion of its investigation into allegations of judicial misconduct.

Parliament Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed announced during the parliamentary sitting on Monday that the case has been sent to the Judiciary Committee for review.

The Judiciary Committee will review whether JSC had followed proper procedures in reaching its decision. Once the committee completes its review and makes its decision, the decision will be sent to the parliamentary floor for a vote.

Shuajau Usman was placed under 60-day suspension by JSC in July, following an investigation into two allegations of judicial misconduct.

One of the allegations is that he made an unofficial visit to G. A. Gemanafushi during the campaign for the presidential elections in 2018, during which he actively campaigned for a presidential candidate.

The second allegation is that he met with family members of a suspect arrested under Criminal Court order, and told them that he would free the suspect from jail in exchange for their vote in the presidential elections.

Shuaju Usman has been accused of touring islands in Huvadhoo Atoll to openly lobby support for then-Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in the run up to the 2018 presidential elections.

Shujau Usman was transferred from the Criminal Court to the High Court in June, 2015. He was served on the bench that sentenced former President Nasheed to 13 years in prison.

Following his suspension, Shujau Usman’s responsibilities as the chief judge of High Court were taken over by Judge Shuaib Hussain Zakariyya.