Lawmaker of Dhiggaru constituency Faris Maumoon denied the charges pressed against him over unlawfully using the logo and flag of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
During the preliminary hearing held Monday, prior to Faris’s denial, the prosecutors noted the sentence he would face if found guilty or if he confessed to the crime.
During the hearing, Faris' lawyers Maumoon Hameed complained that his client did not receive the sufficient documents to prepare for the trial. While Maumoon mentioned that it is against the new Criminal Prosecution Code, prosecutors have denied to disclose the witness list as it contains two secret witnesses.
Furthermore, Maumoon noted that it is against the new criminal code to keep the Prosecutor General’s lawyers in a special seat near the judge. He criticized that both defendant and prosecution should be equally treated in a courtroom.
Regarding the matter, Judge Ibrahim Ali stated that both the prosecution and defendant are equal and that the trial is carried out without any influence.
If Faris is found guilty of the crime, he would be sentence to nine months and 18 days in jail. Whereas Faris will not lose his seat, he would be unable to take part in parliament sittings during the period.
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