Responsibility of the State to prove Hameed was dismissed lawfully: Civil Court

Civil Court has made a ruling stating that it is the responsibility of the State to prove that former Police intelligence chief Mohamed Hameed was dismissed from the service according to the law.

The Court made its statement regarding a procedural issue taken up by Hameed during his case, claiming that his dismissal from the Maldives Police Service was against the law and that it was the responsibility of the State to prove that he was dismissed lawfully. The court ruled in his favour and declared that it is indeed the responsibility of the State to prove that their action was lawful.

During the hearing presided by Judge Mariyam Nihayath, she stated that after reflecting on the arguments of both sides and after reflecting on the legal and international standards, while the right to employment is a fundamental right guaranteed upon all citizens, it is the responsibility of the State to prove that the right was withheld according to Article 16 of the Constitution.

Hameed was the head of intelligence during former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration. He was transferred to another department after the change of presidency, and later dismissed with accusations that he had leaked information gathered by Police intelligence.