Azmiralda alleges AG Usham of coercion

Suspended Supreme Court Justice, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir attended the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to provide her statement in the ongoing investigation against her.

Currently, two Supreme Court Justices are under suspension, which includes both Dr. Azmiralda and Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir.

Both apex court Justices are alleged to have attempted to influence the Criminal Court for an acquittal of Dr. Ismail Latheef, Dr. Azmiralda’s husband, who was arrested last December.

Mahaz was summoned to JSC in the same investigation earlier on Sunday this week.

Following her summoning to JSC on Tuesday, Dr. Azmiralda’s legal counsel provided details of the proceedings. According to her attorneys, incumbent Attorney General Ahmed Usham passed a message through a third-party to Dr. Azmiralda regarding the constitutional amendment case at the Supreme Court.

In said message, Usham allegedly implied that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu was concerned about the procedural objections in the case, and had hoped the issue would conclude without further discourse.

Dr. Azmiralda’s attorneys further claimed that though the Attorney General said the state did not intend on influencing the Supreme Court case, Usham had spoken about the constitutional case.

In said message, Usham allegedly threatened Dr. Azmiralda that the disciplinary case against her which had been ‘parked’ during former JSC President Hisan Hassan’s tenure could be reopened again.

At the JSC meeting, the Supreme Court Justice claimed that though the message did not come to her directly from a government source, it was sent with the aim of influencing her decisions related to the constitutional case.

Azmiralda’s attorney, Ibrahim Shameel said that JSC did not raise questions regarding the possible attempts to coerce judges.

“The notice sent to the Justice highlights Criminal Court judges and other judges had been contacted, but it did not specify who these judges were or when they were contracted. There were no questions about this or what had transpired. Since they did not raise any of these questions, we have reason to believe Justice [Azmiralda] is under suspension over a baseless allegation,” Shameel said.

After signing on the statement at the JSC meeting on Tuesday morning, she later attended the commission around 13:00hrs and requested to send her a copy of the amended statement.

On Monday, Dr. Azmiralda alleged that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) announced a criminal investigation on her despite a formal commencement of a probe as a cover to protect the commission’s President Adam Shamil. She had requested ACC to look into the case as well.

The Supreme Court case regarding a challenge on the constitutional amendment, which introduced anti-defection provisions, had a hearing scheduled for February 26^th when all three Justices presiding the case were suspended.

Besides Azmiralda and Mahaz, Justice Husnu al-Suood was suspended but had later on tendered his resignation. In his resignation letter, the veteran lawyer and judge alleged the President, Attorney General, ACC and JSC were attempting to influence the top court.