Criminal Court perform unprecedented levels: Chief Judge

Chief Judge Adam Mohamed has stated that the acquisition of a new building has accelerated the Criminal Court's proceedings to a degree never seen before in its history. 

In a report detailing the court's statistics for 2025, the Chief Judge noted that the past year provided long-awaited relief for a court that had been severely hindered by extreme space constraints. 

Two years ago, a large portion of the building used by the Criminal Court had deteriorated and fallen into disrepair, leading the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to order that the building's use be discontinued. As a result, according to the Chief Judge, the court's operations and trial chambers had to be distributed and managed under extremely difficult conditions.

"The statistics show the court's work proceeding at a speed never before seen in the history of the Criminal Court, alongside the resolution of cases involving those held in custody pending the conclusion of their trial," the Chief Judge said.

Statistics provided by the Chief Judge show that in 2023, the number of concluded cases dropped by 55 percent compared to 2022 levels. 

However, this downward trend was reversed following the relocation to the Justice Building Annex in Hulhumalé on July 27, 2025. The new facility has allowed the court to function at a much higher capacity, with the impact immediately visible in the year-end data.

The 2025 performance metrics highlight a dramatic increase in efficiency:

The court also made significant strides in addressing those under indefinite detention. At the start of 2025, there were 272 people held in custody pending the conclusion of their trials; by the end of the year, this number had been reduced to 128. 

The Criminal Court expressed optimism that if the current pace continues, more than 2,000 cases could be settled by the end of 2026. 

Authorities aim to resolve all cases involving individuals held in remand for over a year within this year, with the ultimate goal of clearing the backlog and ensuring no one remains in indefinite pre-trial detention by the close of 2026.

Criminal Court: "It is a statistical reality that the prolonged delays in cases of those held in pre-trial detention will be resolved within 2026. Based on the court's current pace and targets, there is no doubt that by the end of 2026, none of the individuals who were in custody at the start of the year will remain in detention."