Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has suspended Chief Judge of Criminal Court Ahmed Hailam until the completion of the investigation to the disciplinary case filed against him.
JSC suspended him over his controversial Victory Day greeting illustration sent to Criminal Court Recreation Club Viber group which depicted President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed in chains with the perpetrators of the November 3, 1988 coup attempt.
JSC has issued a summon to question him on disciplinary grounds. The summon was declined in writing by the judge and refused to present himself at the commission stating his reason for declining, which was unacceptable to JSC. Hailam also explained in the letter the details of the incident and notified JSC that he has no further information to share with JSC regarding the incident. Therefore, JSC took the statement as his explanation on the matter.
Hailam was suspended for a maximum period of 60 days under clause 25(b) of Judicature Act of the Maldives, due to the nature of the case he is investigating. JSC further said the public might lose trust on the judiciary, should Hailam produce a verdict on the case. The commission meeting was chaired by Supreme Court Judge Abdulla Areef.
Hailam is the presiding judge over a case of money laundering against former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Following his suspension, the hearing scheduled to announce a verdict on the case was cancelled.
JSC has temporarily handed over the proceedings at Criminal Court to Judge Ali Rasheed.