The Prosecutor General's Office has closed its investigation into former Supreme Court judges Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir, saying it found insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against them for alleged abuse of authority.
The two were removed from the Supreme Court bench in May 2025 after allegations that they had improperly used their positions to influence a case involving the police arrest of IGMH doctor Ismail Latheef. Parliament voted 68–11 to dismiss them. Justice Husnu Suood, who was suspended over the same matter, resigned from the court. Their removal drew concern from international organisations and the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives.
The Prosecutor General's Office said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had referred the case concerning Azmiralda to it with a request for criminal charges. After reviewing the file, the office said the evidence did not support such charges and returned the case to the ACC on 10 September.
The case against Mahaz has also been dropped by the Maldives Police Service and the Prosecutor General's Office, which cited a lack of evidence.
Background
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) suspended the three judges on 26 February 2025, citing an ACC investigation, while the court was hearing a challenge to constitutional amendments on anti-defection rules.
Reaction
Lawyers for Azmiralda say the outcome shows the case was baseless from the start. Mahaz says the dropped cases show the allegations were fabricated by certain parties with malicious intent to remove the judges from their positions.
Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo), the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for North Galolhu, said in a post on X on Friday that the JSC should be held accountable for dismissing judges on allegations that were never adequately proven. He said the commission's actions caused serious damage to the judges' reputations.
No response from the JSC was available at the time of writing.
Sources: One Online – PG closes case against former Supreme Court judges; Sun – Kudoo: JSC must answer for dismissal of top court justices
