Kaizeen's maritime vessel case to Supreme Court

The case of popular Maldivian model Fathimath Zayan Ibrahim (Kaizeen) against her father in relation to a maritime vessel has been submitted to the Supreme Court.

High Court had overturned the Civil Court ruling against Zayan and asked for a retrial. This ruling is being challenged at the Supreme Court. 

While Zayan had submitted the High Court's sentence released in October to the Supreme Court, a decision has not yet been made as to whether the case will be reviewed.

Zayan submitted a case to Civil Court against her father, Ibrahim Ali Fulhu in the vessel case, with her father using the MVR 3 million she gave to buy and register a maritime vessel under his name without her approval. And so, Zayan filed charges in order to have the vessel registered to her name instead.

As there was no answer from her father regarding the case, Zayan requested the Civil Court that the case come to a close in the absence of her father under the Civil Procedure Code. However, the court ruled that the sentence cannot be carried out in such a manner.

When Zayan appealed the ruling, the High Court ruled to void the Civil Court's ruling, with Zayan's request for a ruling in absentia to be considered again. 

Once the case was reviewed a second time, the Civil Court ruled that under the Civil Procedure Code, it cannot be proven that the vessel was bought with Zayan's funds. The sentence states that there are discrepancies between the process in handing over funds in purchasing the vessel and witness testimonies regarding the amount of funds.

During the second review, as her father had given his account after the time frame had expired, sentencing was in absentia. Zayan proceeded to appeal the ruling once again.

As per the High Court's sentence regarding the case, even though Zayan's father had submitted his letter of defense late, the charge needs to be seen through to the end by going to trial. And so, the High Court ordered that the case along with the defending of charges is to be taken to the lower courts.

As per the High Court's sentence, the High Court cannot review the case's topic for the first time as the case has been going back and forth between lower courts and the High Court under only procedural points.