Courtroom chaos ahead of state of emergency expiry
The criminal court was busy Wednesday as the authorities scrambled to keep “coup plotters” in custody after a 45-day state of emergency expires this week.
21 Mar 2018, 9:00 AM
The criminal court was a hive of activity Wednesday as the authorities scrambled to keep “coup plotters” in custody when a 45-day state of emergency expires this week.
Remand hearings for former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, his son-in-law Mohamed Nadheem, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, judicial administrator Hassan Saeed, MP Faris Maumoon, ex-police chief Ahmed Areef and Villa company boss Ibrahim Siyad Gasim were all scheduled for midday.
Lawyers called the schedule “impossible” and “designed for maximum inconvenience” amid delays throughout the day as their clients were brought to Malé from the nearby Dhoonidhoo detention island.
Dismissing legal and constitutional arguments about their arrests under emergency powers last month, the court ordered the high-profile detainees to be held for the duration of upcoming trials.
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