Parliament’s judiciary committee has launched an investigation over allegations of judges taking bribes.

During a meeting with the economic affairs’ committee last Tuesday, Tourism Minister Ali Waheed expressed concern over judges asking to pay bribes to conclude court cases. He specified the Hibalhidhoo island case, which is currently at the appeal process at High Court.

The committee members had highlighted the seriousness of the issue.

The economic affairs’ committee has since forwarded the case to the judiciary committee, who launched a probe into the matter on Monday. Chair, North-Maafannu constituency MP Imthiyaz Fahmy announced this at a meeting on Monday.

They are to conclude the investigation by next Monday.

Hibalhidhoo island is under police watch since the discovery of a large cache of weapons, including firearms and explosives in 2015.

While that was during former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, they decided to nullify the agreement with Biznas Maldives; the company assigned to develop a resort in Hibalhidhoo.

Biznas Maldives had filed a case at the Civil Court, which in 2017 ruled that the agreement was annulled unlawfully and be handed over to the company and that the previous agreement it made with the government stands. However, this is yet to be done and the court’s decision has been appealed at the High Court.