Look at proposed Supreme Court judges' experience
The Supreme Court has not commented publicly on the removals or the pending investigation.
The Supreme Court of the Maldives has removed two judges, Mahaz Ali Zahir and Azmiralda Zahir, while hearing a constitutional case involving the state. This move marks a continuation of previous patterns of altering the composition of the court during sensitive proceedings.
The removal took place on Wednesday. Following the vacancies, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) shortlisted two candidates out of twelve applicants for appointment to the Supreme Court bench. The top candidates identified were High Court Judge Mohamed Salim and former High Court Judge Abdulla Hameed.
Candidates Nominated for the Supreme Court
Mohamed Saleem
-
Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Kulliyat-e-Dirasat-e-Islamiyya
-
Served 12 years as Legal Officer at the High Court
-
Has served three years as a High Court judge
Abdulla Hameed
-
Holds higher education qualifications in Sharia and Law from Al-Azhar University, Egypt
-
Former Civil Court judge
-
Served as a High Court judge for 14 years and six months
-
Former representative of the High Court in the JSC
-
Was previously removed from the judiciary following JSC referral to Parliament over the alleged improper purchase of a flat
Background of the Removed Judges
Azmiralda Zahir:
-
Holds a Bachelor of Laws from Cardiff University and a Master of Laws from the University of Portsmouth
-
Completed a PhD in International Intellectual Property Law at the University of Exeter
-
Former Legal Officer and Deputy Director General at the Law Commission under the Attorney General’s Office
-
Served as Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Law during the transition of Maldives College of Higher Education to a national university
-
First woman appointed to the High Court; resigned after five years
-
Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2019
-
Later established a private law practice
Mahaz Ali Zahir:
-
Holds a Bachelor of Laws from Maldives College of Higher Education and a Master’s in Comparative Law from the International Islamic University of Malaysia
-
Served in the Attorney General’s Office and the Prosecutor General’s Office
-
Was one of the five judges initially appointed to the Drug Court
-
Has worked across legal, judicial, and religious fields
Allegations and Investigation
In December last year, Azmiralda’s husband, IGMH doctor Ismail Latheef, was arrested from a massage parlour. The Criminal Court later released him. The Prosecutor General’s Office chose not to pursue the case due to lack of evidence.
In February, the Judicial Service Commission initiated a behavioural case alleging that Azmiralda attempted to influence the arrest warrant through Mahaz. The Anti-Corruption Commission suspended three Supreme Court judges including Azmiralda, Mahaz and Husnu Suood on 26 February, coinciding with the scheduled hearing of an interim order in the ongoing constitutional case.
The Supreme Court has not commented publicly on the removals or the pending investigation.
