Gayoom and SC Justices hearing cancelled

The hearing scheduled for Thursday in the charges raised against Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed for obstruction of justice, was cancelled.

Gayoom, along with Saeed and Hameed were alleged of obstruction of justice when they refused to hand over their mobile phones after being taken into police custody upon the declaration of the state of emergency on the 05th of February. They are being charged for allegedly attempting to overthrow a legally established administration.

The hearing was one where both sides were to present evidence in their cases.

Criminal court did not disclose a specific reason as to why the hearing was cancelled.

Hearings in the case were cancelled on previous occassions as well. The reason for some of the cancellations being Gayoom's health deterioration.

Additional charges have been pressed on the three as well. As such, Gayoom received terrorism allegations for allegedly bribing Justices and parliament members to unlawfully overthrow the government, trial of which has been hindered given his ailment.

Saeed and Hameed were found guilty of influencing the conduct of a public official and sentenced to a period of one year, seven months and six days in prison earlier in May.

The sentence has since been appealed at High Court and hearings in the appeal were to commence on Thursday.

Additionally, the chief justice has also been found guilty of interefing with the functions of the government, and was sentenced to four months and 24 days in prison. While this has been appealed, the hearings are yet to commence.

Other charges pressed against the Supreme Court justices include terrorism and bribery. If the terrorism allegations against them are proven guilty, both justices stand to lose their seats on the Supreme Court bench and face a jail term of upto 17 years.