No basis for attempted bribery, PG may try to close off hearings to public: lawyers
Charges raised on an incomplete investigation
Dhiggaru Constituency Member of Parliament Ahmed Faris Maumoon transferred back after last hearings
The lawyers for Dhiggaru Constituency Member of Parliament Ahmed Faris Maumoon says the Prosecutor General may attempt to close off the hearings of the case to public.
The Parliamentarian is currently on trial for attempted bribery of his fellow Parliamentarians. He was arrested on the charges on July 18th and detained the following day for the duration of investigation and trial.
The Parliamentarian is charged under clause 510 (b) of the Penal Code. This class ‘three’ felony carries a sentence of three years and 12 months. If proven guilty, MP Faris stands to lose his Parliament seat.
Speaking in a press conference held on Tuesday over the trial, lawyers for the Parliamentarian said by not raising the same charges against the person who accepted the bribe, sets a negative precedent. Additionally, allowing witnesses, who claimed that MP Faris had bribed them, to give anonymous statements also sets another negative precedent.
The lawyers added the Prosecutor General’s Office had already decided on how they would proceed ahead with the case on the onset. Lawyer Maumoon Hameed argued the responsibility assigned to PG and their lawyers were more than this premise.
He added that based on the arguments of PG lawyers in Court, one can deduce that the investigation on the Parliamentarian was not complete.
As such, Hameed noted the prosecution was unable to state when or at what time MP Faris had offered the said bribe. These, he said were the most basic aspects that needed to be established in the case. Hameed argued that charges cannot be raised on an incomplete investigation.
The charges were first raised on the Parliamentarian on 22nd August. The case documents were exchanged on August 28th.
The charges were raised on MP Faris after he spearheaded the no confidence motion on Parliament Speaker Abdullah Maseeh. The motion earned the signatures of 45 MPs, more than the required majority.
In addition to the bribery charges State prosecutors are also looking to file charges of identity fraud against Faris, for having used the ruling party’s flag and logo at a joint press conference with leaders of the opposition.
