Medieval Monarchies were known for hatching conspiracies to eliminate rivals using diabolical methods with impunity. Has Maldives slid to the medieval period? Besides many other indicators, Former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb’s two recent letters to the Supreme Court regarding innocence of former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim and former President Nasheed also prompt any thinking person to ask this question. By now whole of Maldives knows that Nasheed and Nazim are facing punishments for wrongdoings that they never committed. Principle of jurisprudence that “let hundreds of criminals be freed but an innocent should not be punished” has met utter disregard under President Yameen’s rule.
Instances of manipulating the existing framework of rules to benefit someone in democratic setups have been reported from many parts of the world. However, those manipulations were mostly limited to political gains without unduly harming opponents at physical level. Rarely judiciary played a role of facilitator to such manipulators in a democratic political establishment. But the Yameen government, though a democratically elected one, does not believe in setting standards of good governance and fair play. It only knows how to remain tied to the seat of power so that the game of exploiting the country and benefitting oneself and one’s cronies goes on unhindered.
Most surprising element in this process has been lack of response from the Supreme Court on Adeeb’s letters. Any judicial system with honour and prestige to protect would have responded by reopening the cases of Nazim and Nasheed. Criminal jurisprudence is based on fundamental principle of statements of prime witnesses. Adeeb as such a witness to testify Nasheed and Nazim’s innocence is being ignored by the Supreme Court, why? Surely, the answer is known to everyone – Supreme Court judges are in deep connivance with President Yameen.
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