Police to fully cooperate in JSC's investigations into corruption allegations on Maldives judge

Maldives Police Service (MPS) has assured its full cooperation in the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)’s investigations into suspended Criminal Court Chief Judge Ahmed Hailam’s case.

The commission launched an additional probe into the suspended judge over reports of him having received funds from former lawmaker Alhan Fahmy.

JSC revealed that the suspended judge made transactions with the former lawmaker on 19 May 2019, of MVR 200,000 and that although a case was lodged against him at MPS, the institute had not taking any action against him up to date.

Police Media Official Izmia Zahir revealed that the institute will fully cooperate in every way possible and that they will respond in every way required, adding that they are currently providing all the information required in the case, to several institutions.

This comes at a time the former parliamentarian has asserted that the funds were given to Hailam as a loan, adding that he “will give more” if Hailam seeks more.

Hailam is accused of issuing verdicts in favor of senior officials of the former administration of ex-President Abdulla Yameen, with incumbent government officials maintaining that he had received bribe money to issue a verdict in Yameen’s favor in the money-laundering trial against him.

JSC earlier decided to forward the case to the People’s Majlis, the National Integrity Commission (NIC) and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for investigations.

Hailam was suspended for a period of 60 days on 5 November, following JSC’s investigations into a Victory Day message the judge had shared with a Viber group, which was leaked on social media.

JSC revealed that Hailam refused to turn up after a summon by the commission for questioning regarding the disrespectful message, for which Hailam has since apologized to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Parliament Speaker and Former President Mohamed Nasheed, who are portrayed in the image shared, as cartoon figures, chained and being pulled by Victory Day martyr Corporal Hussain Adam along with several others.

In a letter addressed to the commission, Hailam stated that he had made the matter clear via a statement on Monday and that he does not believe he should share more details regarding it, with the commission. JSC suspended the judge after deeming the reason he gave, inexcusable.

In his apology, Hailam asserted that he was “not aware” Nasheed or the President was portrayed in the image shared, and maintained that he had only shared it after seeing Abdulla Luthufee, the mastermind behind the 1988 coup, at the front of the line.

Also in his message, Hailam denied ever having used his position to gain undue benefits.

Following his suspension, the verdict hearing in former President Abdulla Yameen’s money-laundering trial was also cancelled. JSC added that it believes if Hailam were to preside over former’s case, it will obstruct the judicial proceeding of the case. The verdict hearing has since been set to 17 November.