Gasim’s bribery trial on hold after hospitalisation
The court threatened to proceed with the trial in absentia but the hearing was cancelled after neither Gasim nor his legal counsel showed up.
07 Aug 2017, 9:00 AM
A hearing in the bribery trial of Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim was cancelled Sunday night after the 65-year-old opposition lawmaker was hospitalised for the second time in less than a month.
The criminal court rescheduled the hearing for 8 pm after being informed of Gasim’s hospitalisation on Sunday morning, defence lawyers told local media. The court threatened to proceed with the trial in absentia but the hearing was cancelled after neither Gasim nor his legal counsel showed up.
Citing the new criminal procedures law, Hussain Shameem, a former deputy prosecutor general and member of Gasim’s legal team, stressed that the court cannot schedule hearings for two days if a defendant is unable to attend due to poor health.
Gasim was rushed to hospital two hours before Sunday morning’s hearing was scheduled to begin.
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