Chief Justice’s lawyer Hisaan Hussain has accused police officers at island prison Dhoonidhoo of planting a recorder during her meeting with Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, who is being accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Hisaan said this after she found a recorder taped under her chair during a closed-door meeting with her client on Wednesday.
I just found a red tape recorder placed under my chair by @PoliceMv while attending lawyer meeting with CJ at dhoonidhoo. Have shown it to many lawyers as well. Dhoonidhoo officers refused to give us any answers or explanations. #MaldivesInCrisis
— Hisaan ؟ (@hisaanhussain) March 14, 2018
Speaking to journalists after returning to capital city Male’, Hisaan said she checked under her chair due to the suspicious behavior of prison officials, who had pressed her into holding the meeting inside a specific room.
Hisaan said she showed the recorder to three police officers nearby, who told her to complain to senior officials. But after the senior officials decided not to come in and check the recorder, Hisaan said she knew that they had known about it.
She and the other lawyers who returned from prison with her urged authorities to investigate this as a serious crime.
Lawyer Mahfooz Saeed said that they have always heard rumors that authorities spy on prisoner-lawyer meetings, and that this recent finding has confirmed that the state does not have any evidence against their clients.
Mahfooz warned that they will take legal action against everyone in charge at the prison.
The police service responded to the claim, at first saying that the lawyers were trying to damage its reputation, but later saying they were investigating the issue.
