Maldives top judges lose seat following Supreme Court's final ruling
Both justices were charged with influencing lower court rulings
Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed and Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed
Supreme Court of the Maldives has on Wednesday upheld the guilty verdict issued by the Criminal Court on Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed for 'influencing lower court verdicts'.
The justices were initially sentenced to one year, seven months and six days by the Criminal Court. While their sentence was appealed at the High Court, it also ruled to uphold the verdict, but reduced the sentence to one year, two months and 12 days in prison.
Supreme Court had upheld the verdict on Wednesday after the justices had filed an appeal earlier in June following the High Court’s verdict. While the justices had requested to overturn the ruling, Supreme Court decided not to hear the case saying that the High Court had ruled accordingly. The top court added that High Court's ruling in the case was within the ambit of the law and judiciary.
Supreme Court further noted that there were no legal or judicial reasons to overturn the verdict on the justices.
While the Supreme Court has made the final decision in the justices case, it means that both justices have lost their seats at the Supreme Court and two seats from the bench of justices at the Supreme Court including the seat for chief of justice is now vacant, as per a recent amendement to the law.
