Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih would never attempt to influence a judge, said former president Mahammad Nasheed, as the former faces the allegation of influencing the trial of now-jailed former president Abdullah Yameen. The support from Nasheed for Solih came at a time when both leaders were locked horn for months in the ruling party. 

Nasheed, during a press conference on Sunday, said that he would always put his faith in the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and no other party. He added that President Solih has never contacted a judge with such intent, stating that while other parties may partake in such corruption, MDP would not.

Importantly, earlier when he openly rebelled against Solih, he had called on the support from the main opposition party of jailed former president Abdullah Yameen. 

Recently, there have been serious allegations against the President’s Office chief of staff, Ali Zahir, alleged of influencing the judges presiding over former president Abdulla Yameen’s trial. The leaked audio recordings of some of the judges, who convicted Yameen, gave the impression as if the trial of influenced by politicians in power.

Serving justice, Nasheed claimed, is and always had been an important priority for the MDP, therefore, the hearings must go on in order to deliver justice. Yameen has challenged his conviction in the apex court now. 

Meanwhile, the judges whose recordings were leaked out had submitted their voice samples to a probe committee appointed by the Judicial Service Commission. They denied making those statements and termed the recordings an attempt to influence the ongoing trial in the Supreme Court.

(SAM)