Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s legal team has requested to bring in former Prosecutor General Muhthaz to attest to the fact that Nasheed’s 13 year jail sentence on terror charges were politically motivated.
The request was put forward in today’s hearing at the Supreme Court, filed by the PG Office in the apex Court to ascertain that the ruling issued by Criminal Court was in accordance with the laws. The State had initially filed the case in the High Court, but the Court had ruled that they cannot review the case.
Speaking in today’s hearing, Nasheed’s legal team’s Hisaan Hussain said that initially a case was filed in Hulhumale’ Court, noting the case was revoked in favor of terror charges filed in Criminal Court.
Hisaan said that the then PG Muhthaz Muhsin did not have the legal backing to do so. As such, she said that PG Muhsin was under duress when the case was filed, adding that Muhthaz had personally filed the court order for Nasheed’s arrest. Hisaan stressed that as the PG he had no legal basis for doing so.
Nasheed’s lawyers added that even though the state lawyers had filed to ascertain whether the High Court can review the case, a fair trial can only be conducted by Supreme Court alone. They said that presently High Court bench is compiled of two Judges who had overseen the case in a lower court and therefore would not be able to review fairly.
The hearing, which lasted for two hours, was concluded after notifying Nasheed’s lawyers that they will be able to present their defense in the next hearing.
While this case is being reviewed in Supreme Court, Nasheed’s lawyers had appealed Nasheed’s arrest in Supreme Court as well. However no hearings of this case has been held.