Criminal Court has canceled the hearings of the case filed against Jumhooree Party leader and Maamigili Constituency MP Qasim Ibrahim.

The state had raised charges for bribery, obstruction of a public official’s duties, and vote buying against Qasim.

The case was resubmitted to Court on Wednesday, following a hearing on Sunday night, which prosecutors had not attended.

Prosecutor General Aishath Bisham has said that her office had asked the court to dismiss the charges prior to this.

One of the Judges overseeing the case, Judge Abdul Baaree Yoosuf, has been transferred to Juvenile Court. The Court is yet to comment on which Judge will be overseeing the proceedings now.

Under the new Criminal Procedures Act, the lawyers for both defense and prosecution have to exchange documentation prior to the hearings and that a preliminary hearing must be held. The case will continue after the preliminary hearings.