Judicial watchdog to probe sexual harassment in courts

The Judicial Service Commission is planning to look into sexual harassment in courts after a string of recent complaints against members of the judiciary.

JSC Director Hassan Zaheen told the Maldives Independent that the decision to conduct a survey was made by commission members on Sunday.

The Family Court last month dismissed a male employee after he was found guilty of sexual harassment.

The commission is also investigating allegations of misconduct by a string of judges. Earlier in June, Ibrahim Rasheed, a magistrate on Gaafu Dhaalu atoll’s Thinadhoo island, was sacked by parliament following a recommendation to do so by the JSC.

The commission found Rasheed guilty of having broken the code of judicial ethics after shaming a woman in public.

The JSC is also investigating Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Didi and Mohamed Raqib, chief judge for Kaafu atoll, who has been suspended.

Didi is accused of taking a US$1 million bribe to sentence former President Mohamed Nasheed to 13 years in jail.

He is also suspected of receiving stolen money from the MVR1.3 billion Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation corruption scam on several occasions.

The commission has not disclosed the nature of the allegations against Magistrate Raqib.