Supreme Court Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, who is among three Supreme Court justices who were suspended from the bench, has accused Anti Corruption Commission (ACC)'s President Adam Shamil of exerting undue influence to submit false information leading to their suspension.
The other two judges suspended from the Supreme Court bench are Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir and Husnu Suood. All three justices were suspended on February 26 claiming there are active investigations against them at ACC, after which Husnu Suood resigned, levelling several accusations against the government.
However, it has not been revealed what allegations are being investigated.
In a letter to Shamil, Azmiralda said that although she remains suspended from the Supreme Court, ACC has not informed her of any investigation against her. Citing information reported in the media, she also alleged that the commission had acted outside of its established procedures in sending the letter to JSC on Feburary 26, claiming the active investigation against the justices.
Azmiralda highlighted five key points in her complaint:
- The ACC sent its letter to the JSC by hand instead of via GEMS as standard practice
- The letter did not have an official reference number.
- ACC had not decided to pursue a criminal investigation against her when the commission informed JSC that a criminal investigation was underway against her.
- According to ACC procedures, as of March 4, 2025, no criminal investigation had been officially initiated against her, with the case still in the pre-investigation stage.
- Shamil misrepresented the situation to JSC and falsely claimed that a criminal case was being pursued against her.
Azmiralda alleged that the letter Shamil sent was by abusing his influence to interfere in Supreme Court proceedings and disrupt judicial operations, violating constitutional provisions.
"I also believe that President of the Anti Corruption Commission Adam Shamil abused his power and violated the procedures of the Anti Corruption Commission to stop a Supreme Court hearing and suspend judges because the defendant in the case, the Attorney General, did not want to the case to continue, so as to achieve that objective as well as to defend their own job as the President of the Anti Corruption Commission, which is a post appointed by the President," the letter said.
As such, she called for an immediate investigation into what she describes as a misuse of official authority to benefit an undeserving party.