Gayoom’s lawyers withdraw from obstruction case

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s lawyers have withdrawn from his court case on the obstruction of justice charge.

He was charged for refusing to hand over his phone to the police after his arrest during the state of emergency in February.

The Criminal Court is holding his trial together with Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed, who had also refused to hand over their phones.

Gayoom’s lawyers have released a statement, noting several reasons why they have withdrawn from the case.

In the statement, they said that the presiding judge was changed in violation of section 152 of the Criminal Code and that the court has refused to halt the trial until a solution is found regarding Gayoom’s ill health.

They also said that the judge had made his decision regarding the 12 submissions by the defense after a three-minute break, which was against regulations.

They also noted that the trial is being held without giving Gayoom the rights of the accused as dictated in article 51 of the Constitution and without adherence to the laws on fair and transparent hearings as dictated in article 42 of the Constitution.

In the statement, the lawyers said that the trial began much quicker than the legally allowed 30-day from the end of the preliminary hearings to the start of the trial, adding that the Prosecutor General has also ignored article 223 of the Constitution concerned with the powers and responsibilities of the Prosecutor General.

Although the three lawyers representing Gayoom has withdrawn from his case, he was summoned for a hearing on Tuesday.