State prosecutors have accused Justice Ali Hameed of using state resources for personal use for using a Supreme Court-issued phone to transfer MVR 2,200.

At the first preliminary hearing on the corruption charges on Monday, the state prosecutor said the justice had transferred MVR 2,200 to his children from December 10 to April 2011.

Justice Hameed said he understood the charges and wishes to proceed with a lawyer. Due to his ill health, he was sitting down and speaking softly during the entire hearing.

The presiding judge gave Hameed 10 days to appoint a lawyer and told him to prepare for the case with his lawyer before the next hearing.

If found guilty of the charges, Hameed will face three years in prison.

Justice Hameed had been charged with corruption before but the case was stalled after officials claimed that coffee had spilled on the documents. The state is now continuing with the same charges but as a new case.

Hameed and Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed has already been given a prison sentence of one year, four months, and 24 days for influencing the judiciary.

He is also being charged with terrorism for attempting to overthrow the government along with Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and other politicians and state officials.