Deputy Economic Development Minister Ibrahim Munawwar’s legal representation of a company sued by the state is under investigation, the President’s Office has said.
At a hearing last week, Munawwar argued as the lawyer of a private company registered at the Economic Development Ministry in a case filed by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
President’s Office Spokesperson Heena Waleed told Adhadhu that employees of the state, including political appointees, are not authorised to advocate against the state at a trial.
“As such problems [including Deputy Economic Development Minister Munawwar’s case] are being faced, the government is looking into this,” Heena said.
At the last hearing of the taxation case, MIRA’s lawyers objected to the deputy minister representing the company against the state.
As oversight and supervision of businesses falls under the Economic Ministry’s mandate, a deputy minister representing a private company against the state poses a conflict of interest, MIRA’s lawyer argued.
In response, Munawwar said that he has never worked for MIRA or done any work related to MIRA at the Economic Ministry.
“I don’t believe that there is any reason for a conflict [of interest] and MIRA hasn’t noted such a thing either. If the court notes such a thing, I will recuse myself from the case,” said Munawwar, who has a license to practice law.
A judge questioned whether the legal professions law prohibited Munawwar from representing the company. In response, MIRA’s lawyer said that he believed there was a conflict of interest even if the law does not explicitly prohibit it and asked the judges to make a decision.
Despite extensive discussions at the hearing, the judge’s bench did not rule on the objection. Judges concluded the last hearing after announcing that a ruling would be made at the next hearing. The three-judge panel of the High Court hearing the case includes Judges Hassan Shafeeu, Hussain Mazeed and Huzaifa Mohamed.
