Sheikh Nasrullah Musthafa has withdrawn the defamation suit filed against five journalists of Mihaaru, to recover MVR 28 million. 

Nasrullah had filed case in Civil Court against four journalists of Mihaaru and VMedia for reporting on allegations of him scamming people into unlicensed pilgrimages.

The first session of the dispute resolution stage for the case was held on January 16th. Nasruallah said he had revoked the case, as the reality of the case was revealed and as even Mihaaru had reported the facts. 

He added that he will revoke the case on VMedia as well. 

Musthafa had filed suit against Mihaaru’s Fazeena Ahmed, Ahmed Abdulla Saeed, Muizzu Ibrahim, Mohamed Yamin and Asima Nizar, for defamation, and jad sought MVR seven million (total MVR 35 million) from each journalist.

While he had initially filed a suit against the five journalists at Mihaaru, Musthafa, last week had decided to withdraw his suit against Muizzu, Mihaaru’s Legal Affairs reporter.

Noting that they had not reported anything besides the truth, Mihaaaru’s Ahmed Abdulla Saeed noted that their reports were based on information provided by the deputy minister at the Islamic Ministry Sheikh Ibrahim Ahmed, who was the top official in charge of the Maldives Hajj Mission.

The state has also charged Musthafa over familial neglect and possession of pornographic material. The scandal had led to Mustafa’s resignation as principal of state-owned Arabiyya School. He was arrested in November, and released a day later.