President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu made a blatant lie by claiming that the government's influence on the judiciary ended the moment he was sworn in, former MP Ali Hussain has alleged.
In an interview with Adhadhu, Ali Hussain said the Judicial Service Commission's (JSC) decision to dismiss Supreme Court Justices Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir proves the President lied.
He highlighted that the justices were suspended after fabricating a criminal investigation against them and after the Anti-Corruption Commission failed to follow procedures in rushing the letter about the investigation to the JSC.
JSC suspended the justices just a few minutes before their scheduled hearing on a case submitted by Ali Hussain to quash a constitutional amendment that allowed political parties to disqualify MPs for floor-crossing.
Justices Mahaz, Azmiralda and Husnu Suood were suspended without an opportunity to respond to the allegations. They have accused Muizzu and his Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham of attempting to influence the judges to conclude the constitutional case in favour of the government.
Suood resigned in protest against intimidation and influence from Muizzu and Usham. But Muizzu has denied the accusation.
"In fact, they were not given the opportunity to advocate for themselves in the JSC, not given the opportunity to speak in their defence. What a great injustice," Ali Hussain said in his interview with Adhadhu.
He questioned whether justice could be served in this country when Supreme Court justices are not allowed to speak in their defence, when even criminals who have committed serious crimes have the right to defend themselves.
“If the Supreme Court justices are being removed without giving them the opportunity to speak in their own defence, then who will get justice in this country and where will they go to seek justice?” Ali Hussain said.
"We know the situation of this country. Clearly, the judiciary is in the fists of the President and the three powers of the entire state have been merged. There is no need for us to call him President. Now the current President is turning into a dictator," he said.
The JSC has sent the report on Azmiralda and Mahaz to the People's Majlis which is controlled by Muizzu's party. The matter is now in the Judiciary Committee. The justices will be officially dismissed when the parliament approves the JSC report.
Mahaz and Azmiralda have appealed to Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla for an opportunity to speak in their defence during the meeting of the Judiciary Committee.
Ali Hussain noted that Supreme Court justices who were dismissed by the last 19th session of the parliament were given the opportunity to speak. But the justices did not use that right.
