The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has approved the reappointment of former High Court Abdul Rauf Ibrahim, who unsuccessfully contested in the last parliamentary election on ruling PNC’s ticket, to the appellate court.
Rauf, who was appointed to the High Court in 2011, resigned after the JSC sought parliamentary approval for his dismissal in 2022 following an investigation which found that he violated 152 of the Constitution by accepting flats granted as a direct incentive from the government to deliver a particular ruling a case.
After his resignation, Rauf contested the 2024 parliamentary election as the ruling PNC candidate for the Keyodhoo seat, an election where he faced defeat.
Rauf, who has also previously served as a member of JSC, was among the 19 applicants who applied for two vacancies in the High Court following the retirement of the longest-serving appellate court judge Mohamed Niyaz and the resignation of judge Mohamed Faisal.
Sources report that Rauf will be appointed to High Court alongside incumbent Criminal Court judge Ismail Shafeeu to fill these vacancies.
Rauf attained his law degree from the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Prior to his appointment as a judge, Rauf served as the Assistant Registrar at Civil Court.
Notably, JSC’s decision to appoint Mohamed Shaheed, who held a senior political position in the incumbent administration, as a High Court judge back in August triggered huge public backlash including a court case challenging his appointment. Subsequently, he withdrew his name.
Shaheed resigned as a deputy minister at the Home Ministry to apply for High Court judgeship. The vacancy was announced on the day he resigned.