Criminal Court chief judge، Abdulla ‘Gaazee’ Mohamed’s family had testified against the former president and the opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed، who is defending a case raise by the State against him on terrorism charges of ‘detaining & isolating Judge Abdulla’ in 2012.
Testifying against Nasheed، wife of Judge Abdulla، Aminath Shareef said that Abdulla ‘Gaazee’ was having dinner before he was ‘dragged out of the home by force’. Aminath made her statement in the courtroom during the hearing held at the Criminal Court on Saturday night.
She said the authorities did not allow him to ‘put on clothes’ and was let to ‘wear the trousers amidst the officers’.
Aminath Shareef’s sister، the Judge Abdulla’s sister-in-law، Sobira، who was present during the time، also testified against Nasheed، reiterating Aminath Shareef’s statement.
The witnesses further stated in court the Judge was forcefully detained by MNDF officers، however، as their faces were covered، they are unable to identify the officers.
In addition، Sobira said in court that they requested the authorities to present an arrest warrant، but they failed to do so – depicting that Judge Abdulla was detained without any legal documented order.
The State also presented a third witness to testify against Nasheed during the hearing held at the criminal court on Saturday night.
Chief Inspector of Police Abdul Mannan Yusuf testified against Nasheed stating in the court that he learned the arrest of the judge on the news، however، he was present in a meeting afterwards in which the then President Mohamed Nasheed stated that “the judge will not be able to come within 100ft of the court”.
Prior to Mannan’s testimony، the defence attorneys of Nasheed denied the State witness’ testimony، stating that Mannan has a ‘personal grudge’ with President Nasheed.
Nasheed attempted to present photo evidence to prove the defence attorneys’ motion، however، his stand was denied by the presiding bench، who said it ‘does not concern with the current trial’.