Secret trial for top judges

Thursday’s hearing in the trial of Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed has been closed to the media and public.

Reporters were informed that the first hearing on charges of influencing official conduct would be secret when they went to register at the criminal court.

But pre-trial hearings earlier this week for the Supreme Court justices and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on separate obstruction of justice charges were open.

Gayoom, Saeed and Hameed are also facing trial on terrorism charges over an alleged conspiracy to oust President Abdulla Yameen. They were detained for the duration of the terrorism trials, which have yet to commence.