PG submits complaint against judge who ordered ex-minister's passport release

The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has submitted a complaint to review the actions of Judge Hassan Saeed in releasing Former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed's passport to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Monday.

The PGO has previously noted inconsistencies in the Criminal Courts procedure to allow the release of Ali Waheed's passport. The PGO cites that the court order to release Ex-Minister Ali Waheed's passport had been issued against the set practices and precedent for such cases.

The release of Ali Waheed's passport was appealed at the High Court by the PGO on Sunday. The Prosecutor General's Office has confirmed that they will be seeking legawl action against all those who organized, aided and abetted the unlawful release of Ali Waheed's passport on 9 February 2021.

Ex-Minister Ali Waheed faces seven serious charges of sexual violence, and had been on trial at the time his passport had been released, in order to allow him to seek medical attention abroad. Ali Waheed travelled to the United Kingdom on the night of 9 February, the same day that his passport had been released by the Criminal Court.

Judge Hassan Saeed, who issued the court order to release Ali Waheed's passport, has previously been investigated by the JSC for a complaint submitted while he was presiding over cases at the Family Court. At the time, the JSC had concluded the investigation by issuing a warning to Judge Hassan Saeed and having him transferred to another court, namely, the Criminal Court.

Judge Hassan Saeed was also suspended once in 2016, following a review of a complaint submitted against him by the JSC.