The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), on Sunday, has passed to recommend the dismissal of Supreme Court justices Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir.
JSC suspended three Supreme Court justices on February 26th – Husnu Al-Suood, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir – citing criminal investigations against them by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Suood subsequently resigned on March 4th as JSC investigated disciplinary cases against the three justices.
Notably, the justices were suspended as the court reviewed a case challenging a contentious amendment to the Constitution that added anti-defection clauses. The controversial amendment added three more circumstances where parliamentarians will lose their seat, including if they are expelled from their political party.
JSC’s Disciplinary Committee completed its review of Azmiralda’s case on April 17th. According to the investigative report they had sent to Azmiralda, she is accused of colluding with another Supreme Court justice to influence Criminal Court judges.
Mahaz is implicated in the same case.
Sun has learned that JSC approved recommending the dismissal of both Azimralda and Mahaz on Sunday.
Azmiralda was accused of allegedly attempting to influence Criminal Court judges regarding her husband, Dr. Ismail Latheef’s criminal case, who was arrested last December.
Her legal representative, Ibrahim Shameel, has stated that allegations against Azmiralda were shifted post-investigation and that the investigation was procedurally unlawful and beyond the scope of the law.
Following the JSC’s decision, the Commission will forward its recommendation to Parliament, which will assess whether due process was observed in reaching the decision. The justices can only be dismissed if a two-thirds majority of the lawmakers present vote in favor of their dismissal.