High Court accepts appeal over release of alleged drug kingpin Anwar

 High Court has overturned an earlier decision to reject the state’s appeal against the Criminal Court’s decision to release Ali Anwar Mohamed, an alleged drug trafficker, allowing the case to proceed.

A bench of High Court judges ruled that the registrar’s decision not to accept the prosecution’s appeal should be voided, clearing the way for a hearing on the merits of the state’s challenge to the Criminal Court order.

Anwar, from Cozy Corner in Hithadhoo, Addu City, was arrested in a drug operation last October. He had previously been arrested in 2019 in connection with the smuggling of 70 kg of drugs into the Maldives aboard an Iranian vessel.

Following his arrest in October, Anwar was released by the Criminal Court. He was later re-arrested by police after being denied entry to Sri Lanka and returning to Maldives. He is currently being held in custody under a Criminal Court order.

High Court registrar had rejected the prosecution’s appeal on the grounds that the state had failed to explain how the Criminal Court’s decision was unlawful. The prosecution subsequently appealed that decision to a High Court judges’ bench, seeking to overturn the registrar’s ruling and proceed with the appeal.

The Criminal Court order releasing Anwar was issued by judge Hussain Faiz Rashad. He was later found to have acted in violation of judicial conduct and was removed from office.