Lawyers for jailed Dhiggaru Constituency MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon says that the report broadcast on RaajjeTV nullified the basis of charges raised on the Parliamentarian over bribery allegations.
The bribery allegations on MP Faris were raised, stating that MP Faris had bribed Parliamentarians over the vote of no confidence on Speaker Abdullah Maseeh. Charges say that Jumhooree Party activist Ahmed Shafiu was the intermediary in this case.
The report broadcast on RaajjeTV on October was an exclusive from Shafiu, where he had denied the allegations made on MP Faris.
In this exclusive, Shafiu further said he was under duress to give a statement that implicated MP Faris in the allegations.
In the trial held on Wednesday, MP Faris’ lawyer Maumoon Hameed said that the charges were raised on MP Faris on basis of what Shafiu had done. As such, the interview in RaajjeTV exclusive, he said, had nullified the very essence of the charges on MP Faris.
Maumoon said that the RaajjeTV report was fresh evidence in the case. He added that based on this, there was room to believe that the state had fabricated evidence and therefore the case cannot be reviewed any further.
Maumoon also noted that Shafiu, in his own admission, had said that he was under duress. The case was filed in Maldives Police Service (MPS) who had refused to press ahead with the case. The defense had also filed for an order compelling MPS to investigate the case.
Prosecution admitted the case was filed to Prosecutor General (PG) Office. The state lawyers said MP Faris’ defense was given a written statement which showed that MPS was investigating the case.
Referring to the mismatch in the admissions made by MPS to the defense and prosecution, Maumoon said the state was attempting to portray that Shafiu was complicit in the crime.
Maumoon further noted that the secret witness put forth by the prosecution as defense was the MP who had accepted the alleged bribe. He said the laws and justice demanded that the trial on MP Faris be put on hold, until the claims of duress on Shafiu were properly investigated.
Judge Ali Adam decreed that the RaajjeTV report can be put forth as evidence.
The next hearing of the case will be held at 10am on 9th of this month.
