The High Court has supported the Civil Court ruling wherein the decision of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdullah Mohamed (Judge Abdullah) was guilty of misconduct was annulled.
JSC found Judge Abdullah guilty of misconduct following the report of a comment made by Judge Abdullah on DhiTV News at 8:00 p.m. on 16 July 2009, about former President Mohamed Nasheed's government, when Judge Abdulla allegedly said that the Cabinet of Nasheed’s government seemed to be acting out of desperation.
The Civil Court annulled JSC's decision on 25 July 2012, and this ruling was appealed in High Court.
The Civil Court ruling states that the statements provided by witnesses by JSC's investigation team on this case were not sufficient to prove that Judge Abdullah actually made the comment reported on DhiTV.
The High Court said in its ruling today, that as per the JSC Act, certain procedures must be followed when investigating cases against judges, and that Judge Abdulla was not given the due opportunities by JSC to present his defence before he was declared guilty of the alleged offence.
The court ruled that the decision that Judge Abdulla was guilty of misconduct was made in violation of the relevant procedures stated in the law.
The three judges who presided over this case were unanimous in their opinions.