This aggression by the judiciary will not stand

The judiciary is at war with the people’s elected representatives. The Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed is suing Minister of State for Housing Aslam Shakir for defamation and claiming damages totalling Rf.52 million.

Aslam had merely reported on television what most of the country already knew through a press release issued by the president’s office and reported in newspapers. The press release detailed case after case of serious ethical violations while discharging his duties as a judge.

These were cases that were made by then Attorney General Hassan Saeed in 2005 during the Gayoom administration. No action was taken against him then.

Aslam stated on a television programme that Judge Abdulla was a “dangerous” man who had issues relating to children surrounding him. He did not state that the judge was a child abuser. Rather, he was referring to a case Hassan Saeed reported of how he made a child repeat what abuse he had gone through while in front of the very man who allegedly committed the crime.

How much more dangerous can a judge be?

The Presidency and Parliament has been cleansed of the remnants of the old regime following the elections held during over the past year.

However, it is the same old corrupt judges still dishing out justice in our courts. Their borderline criminal behaviour is proving to become increasingly intolerable.

Just look at the case where the criminal court has let loose individuals for carrying weapons on the streets of Male’ saying that there is no law that allows for them to be prosecuted! First of all this ruling is in dispute as gang leader Chika was earlier put away for the same offence by a Maldivian court.

But more than haggling over the letter of the law, surely the judges should be concerned about the safety of the people of this country.

Instead they continue to make a mockery of justice. The Rf.52 million against Aslam is a case in point.

Do these people have no shame?

The judiciary needs to be very clear of something. The people know that they form a corrupt cabal who are complicit in several crimes. They are up to their necks in it.

Corrupt judges cannot hope to continue intimidating the public. No one is above the law. Such petty, politically motivated lawsuits will not prevent, but will merely delay, the inevitable. The time will come when they will have to pay their dues.