Key witness in MP Faris bribery trial alleges coercion
Ahmed Shafiu, a Jumhooree Party activist, accused ruling party MP Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim of seeking false testimony to support bribery charges against MP Faris Maumoon.
10 Nov 2017, 9:00 AM
A key witness in the bribery trial of MP Faris Maumoon has alleged attempts to coerce false testimony against the opposition lawmaker.
Ahmed Shafiu, a Jumhooree Party activist, was arrested on July 4, a day after the opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against the parliament speaker. Citing lack of evidence to support alleged bribery of lawmakers, the criminal court released him five days later.
In an overseas interview with Raajje TV aired Thursday night, Shafiu said the police told him shortly after his arrest around 1 am that a family member wished to meet him. “[The family member] was Isdhoo constituency MP Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim ‘Qari.’ About 15 minutes later, Qari came and talked to me with about eight policemen in the absence of my lawyer,” he alleged.
MP Rasheed was among several ruling party lawmakers who signed the no-confidence motion. After first claiming his signature was forged, Rasheed admitted to signing at the behest of a parental figure before later changing his mind.
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