Hearing of Nasheed’s trial begins
-State produces 31 witnesses against Nasheed
-Nasheed denies the charges

The hearing of the trial against the former President Mohamed Nasheed, for the unlawful arrest of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla, has begun as he appeared in court yesterday.

The hearing of the case sent to Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court was held in court hall of Justice Building.

The State’s Assistant Public Prosecutor Abdullah Rabeeu said that the fourt President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed of G. Canaryge is facing criminal charges under Article 81 of the Penal code for  for the illegal arrest and detention of Abdulla Mohamed in January and February this year.

He said that Chief Judge of the Criminal Court was held in detention illegally from January 16 to February 7 at Kaafu Atoll Girifushi.

Nasheed denied the charges after asking his lawyer Hisan Hussain when he was given the opportunity to answer for the charges.

Nasheed said that the Prosecutor General’s charges against him are politically motivated and designed to prevent him from running for the presidency in 2013. He claimed that this trial is against the democratic system.

Former President’s legal team requested the judges to determine the legitimacy of the Hulhumale’ Court and if the Hulhumale’ Court can hold a trial in Male’. They also said that the summon chits were sent to Nasheed illegally.

State prosecutor Rabeeu replied to the points noted by Nasheed’s legal team stating that the Hulhumale’ Court is an established court and no institution has so stated that the court is defunct. He said that the High Court has determined the jurisdiction of Hulhumale’ Court to hold trials for such cases.

Judge Sujau Usman from the judges’ bench stated that court summoning was lawful and that the point by Nasheed’s team to determine the legitimacy of the Hulhumale’ Court will be rejected by the court.

The State produces 31 witnesses against Nasheed during the trial. Among the witnesses include former Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismail Atheef, Chief of Defence Force Ahmed Shiyam, Colonel Abdur Raheem Abdul Latheef, Colonel Vice Waheed, Chief Inspector of Police Abdul Mannan and Nasheed’s close companion Ibrahim Hussain Zaki and Hassan LAtheef who is from Nasheed’s legal team.

State Attorney Aishath Fazna said that Hassan Latheef is included among the witnesses to prove that he met Judge Abdullah twice and Zaki was included to prove that he met the Judge at the request of Nasheed.

The State also produced audio recordings and footages of Nasheed’s meetings with MDP members at the surfing area and Police offices. The state also produced the video footage of the arrest of the Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdullah and letters sent by the President’s Office to Defence Ministry.

Judge Sujaau said that the next hearing of the trial will be held on 4^th November.