Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has accused President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of making a political deal to appoint High Court Judge Mohamed Saleem to the Supreme Court.
Speaking at a meeting organized by his party, the People’s National Front (PNF), Yameen claimed that the nomination of Judge Saleem is not based on merit, but rather on political arrangements.
Yameen stated that while his appeal case was being heard at the High Court, Judge Saleem—who was involved in the case—took leave for one and a half months, delaying the trial. He alleged that this delay harmed his candidacy for the last presidential election and said Saleem’s absence was intentional.
He also highlighted a possible connection between the judge’s promotion and his brother’s recent election to Parliament. MP Ahmed Aslam, who represents Bilehdhoo constituency, is Judge Saleem’s brother. Yameen suggested this was not a coincidence, saying it was part of a larger political plan.
President Muizzu has nominated Saleem for the Supreme Court, with reports indicating that Muizzu hopes to make him the next Chief Justice. However, Yameen pointed out that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) had initially ruled that Saleem did not meet the required qualifications for the post.
“There was a long debate at the JSC over whether Saleem qualifies,” Yameen said. “Eventually, they changed the rules to say that anyone who has held a lawyer’s license for seven years would qualify.”
Yameen also criticized Saleem’s professional record, calling him “the most incompetent” among the judges and saying his only notable act was stalling Yameen’s court case. He added that Saleem’s promotion comes after the sudden removal of two respected Supreme Court justices — Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir.
Saleem, who was appointed to the High Court in 2022, is one of the names submitted to Parliament by President Muizzu for the Supreme Court bench.
