High Court dismisses State

The High Court has dismissed the point included in the appeal case filed by the State, to annul Article 202 (d) of the Parliament Standing Orders.

The Kulhudhuffushi Magistrate Court ruled that there are no grounds to detain Henveiru-south MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor when he was taken to the Court subsequent to being arrested under suspicion of drinking alcohol.

This decision by Kulhudhuffushi Court was appealed to High Court, along with a request to annul Article 202 (d) of the Parliament Standing Orders.

At the hearing in High Court today, the Judge ruled to dismiss the request to annul the aforementioned Article, as the Police had not highlighted this issue at the hearing in Kulhudhuffushi Court.

However, the Judge said that a decision will be made in this regard when the case is concluded, as Kulhudhuffushi Court had referred to Article 202 (d) when it ruled that there are no grounds to detain Hamid Abdul Gafoor.

Defence Lawyer Hisaan Hussain said that Hamid denies Police allegations that Hamid threw a glass containing suspected alcohol when he was confronted in Hondaidhoo.

Hisaan said that Hamid was injured by the Police, and that the purpose of showing the video of the events in Hondaidhoo was to defame Hamid.

Kulhudhuffushi Court’s decision to release Hamid detailed that that only Police have evidence related to this case, and that it is not likely that Hamid can influence the evidence held by the Police.

State Prosecutor Aishath Hana Waheed said that some of the 21 people arrested in Hondaidhoo could provide testimonies related to this case, thus, it is not only the Police that have evidence related to this case.

She said that Hamid held a cup containing suspected alcohol, and when requested by the Police to hand it over, he emptied its contents to the ground; and while the two MPs were released, the detention period was extended for Manager of Ha. Alidhoo resort Jadullah Jameel.

Responding to a question by the Judge, the Police said that statements had been obtained from Hamid Abdul Gafoor as well as the Police Officers involved in the operation.

The Police also informed that investigations are under way to determine how alcohol was transported to Hondaidhoo, as Hondaidhoo is not an island permitted to have alcohol.

The State Prosecutor and Defence Lawyer were given the opportunity to fully present their arguments, before today’s hearing was concluded by Judge Abdul Ghanee Mohamed.