The Civil Court has upheld the decision to dismiss Yoosuf Maaniu Mohamed from the National Integrity Commission (NIC).

Appointed to the commission in October 2015 and later elected its president, he was dismissed by former President Abdulla Yameen in 2017.

Maaniu’s dismissal came after allegations of obstruction against senior police officials. He claims that he was fired after he made the accusations against these officials.

While the former NIC chief filed the case at the Civil Court, seeking for the court to declare his dismissal unlawful.

However, the state said that Maaniu was dismissed under the powers granted to the president by the NIC act adding that the president is not required to provide a reason or details of the decision.

Further noting that the president has the authority to dismiss an official is they not deem them fit for the position, the state said that the documents submitted prove that Maaniu was dismissed because of this.

Presiding Judge Ali Abdulla ruled that there was no basis to rule that Maaniu was dismissed against legal procedures, after hearing both sides in the case.

While he was fired from NIC in 2017, he had applied for NIC membership after the incumbent government opened applications. While he is one of the four applicants to have received over 75 percent during the parliament committee process, he was forced to withdraw the application after concerns raised by murdered journalist Ahmed Rilwan’s family.

In a letter to the chair of the committee on independent institutions, Rilwan’s sister Fathimath Shehenaaz said that the family believes that the police had been negligent in her brother’s investigation while Maaniu was NIC president.

She also emphasized that Maaniu is connected to the family of Mohamed Suaid, whom the police previously revealed had followed Rilwan prior to his disappearance.

While this is a conflict of interest, Shehenaaz said that family does not believe that the investigation could be fair “if Maaniu is appointed” and added that it could raise questions over its independence and integrity.