Former Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem has joined the legal defence team representing Adhadhu CEO Hussain Fiyaz Moosa and Editor Hassan Mohamed, who are facing criminal charges over the "Aisha" documentary.
Shameem also serves as the legal counsel for the President’s Office employee featured in the documentary. Although the employee was summoned to the police for a statement, no charges have been filed against her to date.
In addition to Shameem, the legal team representing Adhadhu includes Abdulla Shairu, Aik Ahmed Easa, and Hassan Falah.
The trial against Fiyaz and Hassan is being conducted behind closed doors. They have been charged with Qazf (an Islamic offence of falsely accusing someone of adultery or fornication). Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during yesterday's hearing.
The charges were brought against Fiyaz and Hassan on the grounds that, in their roles as editors, they published a documentary alleging that President Mohamed Muizzu had an extramarital affair with a President’s Office employee.
The charges were filed just 14 days after the investigation into the "Aisha" documentary began. The probe was initiated following a direct order from Muizzu during a press conference, after Adhadhu questioned him regarding the allegations.
On the same night the investigation was ordered, police raided the Adhadhu office and seized 20 electronic devices, including laptops and hard drives. The following day, Fiyaz and Hassan were slapped with travel bans and summoned to the police headquarters for questioning.
Furthermore, Adhadhu journalist Mohamed Shahzan was sentenced to 15 days in prison after questioning Muizzu during a press conference at the President’s Office. Another journalist from Adhadhu, Leevan Ali Nasir, was sentenced to 10 days in prison for reporting on a court order that prohibited discussions regarding the allegations against Muizzu.
The documentary details allegations of an extramarital relationship between Muizzu and a President’s Office staff member. Muizzu has denied the claims made in the documentary.
The woman interviewed in the documentary leveled serious accusations against Muizzu, alleging that he maintained an extramarital relationship with her and subjected her to sexual harassment.
The Criminal Court has issued an injunction prohibiting the discussion or dissemination of any content from the documentary in any forum until the conclusion of the trial against Fiyaz and Hassan.
