Abdul Aleem pictured entering the Civil Court. PHOTO: HUSSAIN WAHEED/MIHAARU
Abdul Aleem, the Secretary General appointed to ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) by Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s faction, has been fined MVR 85,000 after the Civil Court found him guilty of contempt of court.
Aleem was proven guilty in a case filed against him in the lower court by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s faction of PPM. He is convicted of violating the order by the Civil Court to hand over PPM’s control from its now ousted leader, Former President Maumoon, to its advisor, President Yameen.
The Civil Court found Aleem guilty of contempt of court for challenging the Civil Court’s order to hand over PPM control to President Yameen. The verdict read that Aleem had challenged the order with his actions, which include conducting meetings from Former President Maumoon’s faction in the name of PPM’s disciplinary committee and council to remove two lawmakers from the party. These offences were proved by evidences provided by PPM and Aleem’s own testimony.
However, Aleem had denied violating the Civil Court’s order during the last hearing as well.
The verdict to fine Aleem MVR 85,000 was issued by a five-member bench comprising Chief Judge Abdulla Ali, Judge Ali Abdulla, Judge Ali Naseer, Judge Hassan Faheem Ibrahim and Judge Mohamed Haleem. The court ordered Aleem to pay the amount within 10 days’ period.
Following the court’s order to hand over the control of PPM to President Yameen, PPM’s council decided to assign party control to the president until the next congress. Former President Maumoon’s faction of PPM had appealed the Civil Court’s decision at the High Court and Supreme Court, but the verdict was upheld.