A hearing for the money laundering case of Former President Yameen Abdul Gayyoom is slated for November 17.
The legal team of President Yameen stated that for a hearing scheduled for November 17, 1330 hrs, the Criminal Court has sent summons. The case will be evaluated by the section of the Chief Judge’s section, according to the summon.
The hearing was scheduled to take place on Tuesday at 1300 hours. The presiding judge Ahmed Hailam, though, was dismissed only hours before the trial, during which a verdict was to be issued. Thus Judge Ali Rasheed is currently heading the court during the suspension of Judge Ahmed Hailam, it is uncertain whether he will lead the trial.
An issue concerning Judge Hailam came to light as the judge was suspended on Tuesday by the commission for a greeting from the judge on Victory Day. The cartoon illustration exchanged with the Viber group of the recreational club of the Criminal Court portrayed President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Speaker Mohamed Nasheed handcuffed and being dragged in chains behind the perpetrators of the November 3, 1988, attacks by the fallen hero of the attack, Martyr Hussain Adam.
Whilst Judge Hailam apologized for his conduct, he claimed he was oblivious of the President and the Speaker being portrayed on the illustration.
The power to make a judgment on how to proceed with the case in Judge Hailam’s absence, according to the rules of the Criminal Procedure, rests with the court’s Acting Chief Judge. The law states that for any reason the judge before whom a trial has begun can not proceed with a trial, a judge appointed to the court shall proceed with the trial or a fresh trial shall be granted.
Whether the prosecution will continue from where it was left off, or whether a new trial would begin is uncertain.
