Former Deputy Prosecutor General Dheebanaz Fahmy has been appointed as a judge at the Criminal Court of the Maldives, making her the first female judge to be appointed to the court.
Dheebanaz Fahmy was sworn in as a Criminal Court judge, along with Mohamed Misbah, after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) approved their names among the individuals who applied for the two vacant slots at the Criminal Court bench. Their oaths were administered by Supreme Court Justice Husnu Suood.
Following the appointment of Dheebanaz Fahmy to Criminal Court, Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath congratulated her on becoming the first female judge of the court, noting this is a historic occasion for women in law. The Attorney General noted Dheebanaz has impeccable credentials committed to criminal litigation, and expressed confidence she would serve the bench with honour.
Dheebanaz Fahmy earned her Bachelor of Law (Honours) from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and a Master of Law from University of Canterbury, New Zealand. She has 17 years of experience in the criminal justice system.
Meanwhile, the other addition to the Criminal Court bench, Mohamed Misbah earned his Bachelor of Shariah and Law in Al Azhar University, Egypt. He has served as both a public prosecutor and a private legal practitioner during his 6 years as an attorney.
With the two new additions, the Criminal Court bench now consists of 11 judges.