No summons issued by JSC to Judge Azmiralda

Although it was earlier reported that Judicial Services Commission (JSC) summoned Supreme Court Judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir to present herself at the commission on Monday to respond to allegations against her in a case, Mihaaru News reports that JSC has not, in fact, sent the summons chit.

JSC is looking into allegations that Judge Azmiralda exerted influence over Criminal Court judges seeking the release of her husband Dr Ismail Latheef when he was earlier arrested.

JSC is also looking into a second case against Azmiralda as well. Both Judges Azmiralda and Mahaz Ali Zahir are accused in these cases, and have been placed on suspension while ACC investigates the case of exerting undue influence.

Judge Mahaz was summoned to JSC on Sunday afternoon to respond to allegations against him in the case of exerting influence over Criminal Court judges. JSC previously decided to summon Azmiralda on Monday.

However, it has been reported that the summons chit was not sent to Azmiralda. It is so far unknown on which day she will be summoned.

The second case against the two judges is allegations that they were present when former Supreme Court Judge HusnuSuood summoned Assistant Registrar of High Court Hussain Mohamed Haneef to Supreme Court and used offensive language in addressing him. JSC maintains that along with Suood, Judges Mahaz and Azmiralda also must bear equal responsibility in the case. In this case, no judges have been summoned for questioning as of yet.

In regards to the case on influencing Criminal Court judges, Azmiralda's lawyers have asserted that the allegations are baseless and untrue. The lawyers said that a letter has been sent to JSC detailing that Azmiralda had not called any judges regarding this case, nor had she in any way attempted to exert influence over any judge.

Summoned to JSC today, Judge Mahaz stated that he had been unaware of the arrest of a spouse of a Supreme Court judge until after the Criminal Court had already ruled on his remand. As such, there was no situation where he could even have attempted to influence the judges, he said. He assured that he had not called any Criminal Court judges regarding the case, nor had he attempted to influence their decisions.

Judges Suood, Mahaz and Azmiralda were suspended last week just fifteen minutes before a scheduled hearing of a case on revocation of a Constitutional amendment regarding MPs loss of seat. Suood has since resigned.

Also last week, the parliament passed an amendment to the Judicature Act where the number of judges on the Supreme Court bench will be reduced from seven to five. This bill has not been ratified by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu as of yet.