Wednesday's hearing in MP Faris' identity theft case cancelled as state witnesses fail to show
Court was to hear the testimonies of the state witnesses at Wednesday's hearing
Dhiggaru constituency MP Faris Maumoon being escorted out of Criminal Court
Criminal Court has cancelled Wednesday's hearing in Dhiggaru constituency MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon's identity theft case.
While the Court was to hear the testimonies of the state's witnesses during today's hearing, it was cancelled as the witnesses were a no-show.
At a hearing held in October, the state had submitted names of two witnesses, video evidence, Civil Court verdict to handover the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) to President Abdulla Yameen, letter from the Elections Commission (EC) dismissing Faris from the PPM registry and letter sent to Maldives Police Service from PPM, asking to investigate the matter.
The state had requested anonymity for their witnesses, citing possible economic losses. Prosecutors claimed that the reason for doing so was 'because they feared the witnesses may stand to lose their jobs if they were to give their testimonies to Court'.
Faris' defence lawyer Maumoon Hameed argued that witnesses cannot be kept anonymous, noting that the state had failed to file for such an order.
The MP is charged with identity theft, for the alleged use of the PPM flag and logo at an opposition press conference on March 22.
In addition, Faris is charged with attempting to bribe parliamentarians to sign the no-confidence motion against parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed.
The Court had, on July 19, ruled to keep him in remand for the duration of investigation and trial of the bribery charges. The lawmaker is also charged with identity theft for the alleged illegal use of the logo and flag of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
