Muizz cleared of perjury in Noomadi statement trial
Denying the charges, Muizz told the court that he had never given a statement to the arbitration. He also said that the signature in the statement was not his.
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By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Criminal Court on Thursday cleared Male mayor Dr Mohamed Muizz of perjury in a trial where the state claimed that he had given a false statement against the state at an arbitration case Noomadi Resorts company filed at the Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands.
Noomadi was contracted to build housing units in the atolls during former President Mohamed Nasheed's administration. Muizz was the housing minister when Nasheed's successor, Abdulla Yameen's government cancelled the contract with the company on the grounds that the work was not progressing as per the agreement.
Muizz was charged over a statement he made when Noomadi approached the arbitration tribunal over the termination of the deal.
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The state alleged that Muizz had given a signed witness statement claiming that the government had acted badly in terminating the deal
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He was charged with perjury
Denying the charges, Muizz told the court that he had never given a statement to the arbitration. He also said that the signature in the statement was not his.
The witness, who was sought to prove this, said that it was clear that the signature was not Muizz's as he had worked closely with him for a long time.
On Thursday, the Criminal Court ruled that Muizz was not guilty of the charge.
Judge Sofwath Habeeb, in his ruling, said:
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The state could not prove that the statement given to the arbitration was actually Muizz's
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The state has not made any effort to verify the signature in the statement
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It is doubtful whether it was Muizz's statement
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The state has not been able to prove its involvement in the extraction of Lh. Dhiffushimaadhoo
The state submitted 10 exhibits to prove the charge. In his defence, Muizz presented 19 exhibits.
The trial court examined whether the allegations made in the case was substantiated by the evidence presented in the case. According to the judgment, the main point on the state's claim that Muizz had made a false statement, the first root of the crime, was stated in a witness statement submitted by Muizz to the Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2019.
Muizz gave a false 'statement' as per the charge sheet:
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On being a witness for Noomadi
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On the Maldives government's claim that the first phase and second phase agreement signed with Noomadi in connection with the housing project were not delayed as per schedule
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The government decided not to enter into negotiations on seizing Lh. Dhifushimaadhoo, which had been leased to Noomadi, for government purpose
According to the ruling, the attorney general's (AG) office had sought an investigation from the police and the investigation sought to find evidence of Muizz's perjury. However, regardless of the course of the investigation, it is mandatory to ensure the validity of the witness statement in the course of investigation and in the circumstances under which a trial can take place, the judgment read.
