Chief Justice Muthasim hints at retirement

Maldives’ Chief Justice Muthasim Adnan has hinted at retirement from his post.

The Chief Justice, while speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of new lawyers on Monday night, remarked the possibility of not seeing him again at such an event, in that role.

“I am now an elderly person. It is entirely possible that you would not see me at another such event, in this capacity,” he said.  

Muthasim, in his address, provided valuable advice to the new lawyers joining the legal profession. In this regard, he advised them to think deeply about the lawyers’ oath.

He also shared the advice he was given when he joined the legal profession: to uphold confidentiality.

“When we entered the profession, the most important advice lawyers then had given us was to uphold confidentiality. To uphold confidentiality when practicing as a lawyer. Being a lawyer is not just advocating before courts. It also involves working with documents and working alongside organizations and individuals that require upholding confidentiality. It is extremely important to not talk about one person with another,” he said.

He added that lawyers must make sure they are trustworthy and dependable individuals.

Muthasim is among the first justices appointed to Supreme Court during former president Mohamed Nasheed’s administration in 2014. He had served as a Supreme Court justice until 2014, and took oath as the Chief Justice on December 8, 2019.

Muthasim has been working in the legal profession for over 32 years.