Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al-Suood has resigned from the court, alleging that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was exerting undue influence and issuing threats against justices to secure a ruling in his favor on a Supreme Court case challenging constitutional amendments related to Parliamentarians losing their seats.
Suood was appointed to the Supreme Court on December 8, 2019.
Suood’s resignation comes amid a criminal investigation against him by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). In addition to Suood, Justices Dr Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir are also on suspension due to similar allegations.
In his resignation letter, Suood claimed that the government was attempting to influence the Supreme Court unconstitutionally after it was confirmed that the Supreme Court holds the jurisdiction over a case seeking the annulment of the constitutional amendment that would make strip MPs of theuir seats if leave their party or change their political party. Suood further alleged that the Parliament recently voted to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges from seven to five as part of the same effort to influence judicial decisions.
