PG Shameem categorically denies allegations, says ill intent behind ouster attempt

Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem said on Thursday that the no-confidence motion against him is based on allegations that are “baseless, tired, and asked and answered”, alleging that the attempt to oust him was because he created an institution that is free from all undue influence.

The no-confidence motion against Shameem was submitted to the Parliament by Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid, a top politician from the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).

Shameem was summoned before the Judiciary Committee on Thursday morning, to respond to the motion against him.

Shameem said that the committee's notice does not detail the original allegations against him, but only the highlights.

“I have been asked to provide a response without being aware of the exact allegations. As this clearly goes against the principles of natural justice, I do not believe this constitutes to a proper chance for me to provide my response,” he said.

Shameem categorically denied the allegations against him.

“What’s here are tired allegations that have been asked and answered in the past,” he said.

Shameem said that he does not believe the allegations against him are motivated by good intentions. He said that he was ready to oblige if he was asked to resign, instead of being attacked with baseless claims.

“I am ready to resign if you had just asked me nicely to tender my resignation, instead of making such baseless allegations,” he said.

Shameem said that he had met with a number of top government officials, including government ministers, none of whom raised any complaints when he asked if they had any concerns regarding the operations of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

"During my tenure as Prosecutor General, I filed criminal charges against several honorable members of the then-ruling party [Maldivian Democratic Party] as well as some cabinet ministers. I also prosecuted a former president,” he said, stressing that he was impartial.

Shameem said that the alleged incidents took place long back, but lawmakers did not find anything wrong with him work or that of the PGO until now.

“I was okay then. And my work was worldclass,” said Shameem, questioning the motivation behind the no-confidence motion against him.

“Nothing has changed. But I am suddenly “bad” starting from last week, amid baseless allegation by raising incidents that took place years ago. This is also against human nature. This is where the questions of intent come,” he said.

Shameem said that he is being ousted from office not because he did anything unlawful or lacks sincerity, but because he is shaping the PGO to be an institution free of any and all influence.

In his letter to the Parliament, Shahid cites eight main reasons why Shameem should be dismissed. They are:

• The decision to file the sexual assault case against former tourism minister Ali Waheed
• The decision to file the corruption case against former sports minister Ahmed Mahloof
• The decision not to appeal the lower court’s dismissal of a 2020 rape case, known infamously as the “safari rape case”
• The decision to drop human trafficking charges against former Milandhoo MP Ali Riza
• The decision to drop charges in 77 cases of alcohol consumption
• The decision to drop charges in 13 cases of same-sex relations
• The refusal to look into the allegations of same-sex relations, drug abuse and mockery of Prophet Mohamed against Ahmed Shafeeu, the chief spokesperson of the Prosecutor General’s Office
• The decision not to pursue charges in the ventilator corruption case

The motion against Shameem comes after a small crowd of protestors gathered outside the Parliament on July 1, demanding Shameem’s resignation. Their main concern was the failure to abolish indefinite detentions – something which requires a legal remedy.

Shameem was appointed as the prosecutor general on December 8, 2019 by then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

He had been a frequent target for criticism by PNC leaders back then they had been in the opposition.

Shameem holds a Master of Laws in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice from the University of Sussex, the United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Arts in Shari’a and Law from the Al-Azhar University in Egypt.

Prior to his appointment as the prosecutor general, he served in other top posts at the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office.