It has been revealed that Yazmeed Mohamed, the newly appointed CEO of the Pension Office, did not secure the top spot in the recruitment interviews conducted for the position.
Reliable sources have confirmed to Adhadhu that Ahmed Zuhoor—who was briefly appointed as Chairman of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) by the current administration before being removed—actually ranked first in the interview process.
Information obtained indicates that Yazmeed ranked third in the interviews. He is the first individual to be appointed to the role without experience in the financial sector or fund management.
Sources allege that the Pension Board decided to appoint Yazmeed Mohamed, who contested the parliamentary elections on a PNC ticket, over the top-ranked candidate Zuhoor due to direct influence from the President’s Office.
"Yazmeed did not come in first; Zuhoor did. Yazmeed was given the position following pressure from the President’s Office," a source familiar with the matter told Adhadhu on condition of anonymity.
Zuhoor has an administrative background, having previously served as a Cabinet Minister, Commissioner General of Customs, and Managing Director of STELCO. He also held several high-level positions during the previous PPM administration.
Yazmeed is scheduled to assume his duties as CEO of the Pension Office on Sunday. The Pension Board has appointed him to the post for a five-year term.
Prior to this appointment, Yazmeed served as the Vice President of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). During his tenure there, he faced allegations of attempting to exert undue influence over the judiciary.
Sources previously shared with Adhadhu that Yazmeed had contacted judges regarding a remand hearing at the Maafushi Court, a case at the Family Court this year, and an ongoing matter at the Gaafu Alif Villingili Magistrate Court. In these instances, he allegedly requested specific outcomes, claiming the instructions came "from above."
Yazmeed Mohamed was appointed to the JSC on February 23, 2025. He was named to the commission after the President removed the previous presidential appointee, lawyer Mohamed Sameer.
He rose to the position of JSC Vice President following the resignation of High Court Judge Mohamed Niyaz from the post.
Yazmeed’s appointment to the commission coincided with a constitutional challenge filed in the Supreme Court regarding amendments that allow political parties to strip parliamentarians of their seats.
While that case was pending, Yazmeed played a leading role in an investigative committee formed by the JSC—later described as unlawful—which sought to suspend and remove three Supreme Court justices.
He resigned from his position as Vice President of the JSC on May 18.
