Former AG appeals case against judge to High Court

Former Legal Affairs Minister of the President’s Office Aishath Azima Shakooru has appealed the case of charges brought against her in the Criminal Court whereby the presiding judge in the case had recused himself from the case. Azima appealed on the basis that the judge cannot do this as it was against the law. 

Azima was charged with facilitating of money laundering and providing false information to a state institution. Former Criminal Court Judge Ahmed Hailam had presided over the case before resigning. Judge Hassan Saeed then took over the case only to recuse himself from the case soon afterward. 

Lawyers for Azima said that the judge recused himself from the case in violation of the law and that the acceptance of the move by the Criminal Court was also against the law. 

The lawyers said that based on the laws related to judges, they were not permitted to cherry-pick whichever case they wished and could only do so in certain situations. This includes instances of possible bias and influence. 

The matter has now been submitted to the High Court due to the possible influence by a third party in the case. This meant that the right to a fair trial guaranteed by the Constitution was lost, according to the lawyers. 

Azima has been charged with facilitating money laundering for former President Abdulla Yameen and making false statements to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s investigators during its probe into Yameen.