PG Office asks Court to reconsider decision to reject ex-minister's passport release appeal

Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office has requested for the High Court to reconsider its decision to reject a case regarding the release of disgraced former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed's passport despite the ongoing sexual assault trial against him.

While Waheed left the country the same day as the Criminal Court order back in February, he failed to return within the given period with claims of additional medical procedures. The PG Office had appealed the lower court's decision at the High Court, but was rejected.

Hence, the Office is requesting the Court to reconsider their decision.

Public Prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu said that the request was sent to the High Court on Wednesday, as per Article 17(a) of High Court regulations.

While the Criminal Court has even decided to proceed with the hearings in the case online, PG Hussain Shameem expressed disappointment over the decision calling it "unlawful". He stressed that a court hearing should be held where the state can implement the verdict of a Maldivian court.

The Office has file a case at the Supreme Court as well, over the lower court's decision to proceed with online hearings.

Seven charges were raised against the former minister in November 2020, including one count of attempted rape, one count of sexual abuse, one count of indecent exposure, one count of sexual harassment and one count of attempted sexual harassment. He is also charged with two counts of solicitation of sexual favors.

Following the sexual abuse allegations, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ordered Waheed's immediate resignation and consecutively stripped him from the ministerial post after he failed to do so.

Speaking to media outside of the police headquarters after being summoned for questioning in 2020, Waheed had said that the sexual assault allegations against him were “politically motivated”.