The Criminal Court has on Tuesday sentenced Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed to four months and 24 days in prison for interference with government operations.

The hearing began at 10:00am and the chief justice was sentenced at 11:13. He was charged with obstructing administration of law or other government function, by obstructing the conduct of public office. He has denied the charges in full and denounced them as inadequate and unfounded.

Saeed is accused of having barred the Supreme Court from receiving letters addressed to it, by ordering the cessation of incoming messages through the state’s Government E-Letter Management System (GEMS).

The apex court adjudicator is also facing allegations of terrorism for ‘conspiring to overthrow the government’. 

The parliament recently passed an amendment to the Judges Act which disqualifies judges found guilty of a criminal offense. The law was proposed, experdited through the parliament floor, and subsequently passed after the chief justice's arrest. Its passing has been criticized as a deliberate move to target both chief justice Saeed and detained Supreme Court justice Ali Hameed.