Adam Mohamed, State Minister and lawyer, reprimanded for coming to court unprepared

High Court judges reprimanded State Minister at Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology and former Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed for appearing in court without having undertaken the necessary preparations.

Adam Mohamed, who serves as a State Minister at present, is the legal representative for the Laamu Atoll Fonadhoo Council in a case being heard at the High Court. The case is related to an issue between the council and a private citizen.

Representing the council, Mohamed told the Court yesterday reasons behind the appeal. He referred to the appeal form and made a detailed presentation of what was written on it.

As a result, he had been unable to complete presenting the reasons for appeal even when the yesterday's hearing came to an end.

High Court Judge Mohamed Niyaz stated that trials cannot be held in this manner. He said that instead of reading out the case form verbatim, it would be enough to provide a summary and outline the legal justification.

"The actual case is a very minor one. What needs to be presented can be clearly seen. But if you are to write the issue down and read it out verbatim letter by letter, then this case will not complete submission even in three days. Cases cannot be proceeded in this manner," the Judge said.

Adam Mohamed retorted that cases must be heard by assigning sufficient time. He said that when the hearings are open, everyone would be listening to it, and hence it would not be appropriate to omit any points.

Judge Niyaz responded that time cannot be allocated as such, adding that if the lawyer had sufficiently prepared for the hearing, he would have been able to clearly state the case. He reiterated that it is due to lack of preparedness that lawyers are unable to speak concisely in court.

"Appropriate time does not mean as much time as someone wants. If you came prepared, you would have been able to be succint," Judge Niyaz said.

Adam Mohamed still maintained that in many hearings, Judges allow the case to be presented verbatim, and that some trials are held over extended periods of time.

However, Judge Mohamed Faisal, who is presiding over the case, also said that it is sufficient when legally important points are highlighted.

The hearing was then adjourned.