Investigative committee advises JSC to file motion for Didi's dismissal

The investigative committee established by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to probe into Supreme Court Judge Abdulla Didi's corruption allegations advised the judicial watchdog to submit a motion to parliament for Judge Didi's dismissal.

However, the final decision to submit the motion rests solely on JSC.

A statement released by the commission on Monday stated that JSC accepted the investigative report prepared by the committee, which issued advice to dismiss the judge through parliamentary procedures.

JSC further stated that Didi will be granted a 30-day period to respond to the report.

The commission will make a decision once the duration passes.

Serious allegations have been raised against Didi, including taking bribes to influence the sentences of an individual implicated in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) embezzlement case.

Evidence presented regarding the allegations depicts a close relationship between Didi and the suspect in question.

JSC suspended Didi on May 12 over the accusations raised against the Supreme Court judge and a 5-member committee conducted an open investigation into Didi's disciplinary issues.

During the first hearing of the investigation hosted at Dharubaaruge, as per a letter by Maldives Police Service, Judge Didi was accused of revealing the identities of two suspects in custody over the enforced disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan while discussing the release of aforementioned suspects with an individual referred to as 'suspect one' during JSC's investigation.

Didi, who was a judge at Criminal Court at the time, is accused of releasing Mohamed Suvaid, one of the suspects in Rilwan's case.

According to the letter by police, Judge Didi also messaged 'suspect one', requesting to secure the position of Deputy Ambassador at the Maldivian embassy in Malaysia for a particular individual.

It was speculated that the individual in question was Judge Didi's wife Ghaniya Abdul Ghafoor who held the position until she was recently dismissed amidst allegations against Didi.

Despite these statements, Didi maintained throughout the hearing that he never committed any criminal nor corrupt activities.