Criminal Court judge Hussain Faiz Rashaad was removed from the bench following a vote in parliament of 56 in favor (out of 64 MPs in attendance). The Judicial Service Commission had recommended his removal for releasing Ali Anwar, allegedly a key figure in a drug smuggling network. Anwar was released from custody without conditions, after which he fled the country.
President Muizzu ratified the Animal Welfare Act, which establishes a framework for the keeping, breeding, and trading of animals in the Maldives. The Act introduces standards for animal health, protocols for preventing zoonotic diseases, and regulations governing the import, export and transport of animals.
In a heated exchange at the Malé City Council’s weekly meeting, Mayor Adam Azim announced he had filed complaints with the police and Local Government Authority against Villimalé council member Nahula Ali. Nahula admitted to tearing up a document - an agreement between the council and a company called ‘Marine Jugo’ - to allocate a land plot for an outdoor gym in Villimalè. She alleged the mayor had misled the company into signing a backdated agreement, dated June 1, to justify reclaiming the land after failing to complete the project within six months.
Parliament amended the Tourism Act to permit the cabinet to lease islands or land to state-owned enterprises for the development of resorts, integrated tourism projects, or yacht marinas.
Parliament amended the Drug Act to introduce the death penalty for serious drug-smuggling offences. Capital punishment will apply to cases involving more than 350 grams of cannabis, over 250 grams of dimorphine, or more than 100 grams of any Schedule 1 drug. The sentence would be carried out only after the Supreme Court upholds a guilty verdict at the conclusion of all appeal processes.
The Criminal Court remanded Sunny Umar for a period of 30 days under the Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sexual Abuse Offenders. Umar, the shareholder of ‘The Travel Guys’, is accused of sexually assaulting minors from his wife's family. The prosecutor general’s office said it intends to extend his detention under the special law as the investigation progresses.
The Prosecutor General’s Office filed official misconduct charges against two Food and Drug Authority field officers working in port clearance, alleging they approved shipments without completing the required health certificates for food imports.
A Saudi Arabian business delegation, led by Her Excellency Sara Al Sayed, the kingdom’s Deputy Minister for International Relations at the Ministry of Investment paid a courtesy call on President Muizzu.
The former animal welfare minister under the current administration, Dr Aishath Rameela, has been appointed a member of the Human Rights Commission.
A fire broke out in the power station in Laamu Gan on Wednesday evening, damaging one of five engines used to power the three wards of the island. Firefighters of the Maldives National Defense Force based at Kahdhoo airport extinguished the fire within two hours. Fenaka said the company resumed electricity to all areas of Gan by 11:30pm.