Supreme Court disqualification case against MPs Azim and Nashiz postponed to 5 p.m.

The case against Alifushi MP Mohamed Nashiz and Medhu-Henveiru MP Ali Azim filed in Supreme Court, requesting to declare that they have been disqualified as MPs, has been postponed to 5 p.m.

The hearing was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. this afternoon.

Sun journalist at the courthouse reports that the hearing was postponed after Nashiz and Azim fired their lawyer, Husnu Al Suood, after they arrived in court today.

The case against Nashiz and Azim was filed by a member of Jumhooree Party legal team, Mohamed Haleem, Alpaso, Velidhoo.

Qualification status as MPs of Azim and Nashiz was brought into question following non-repayment of the loans taken from Bank of Maldives (BML) by Funaddoo Tuna Products. Civil Court ordered to repay the loans worth MVR 117 million on 7 February 2010, an order which was supported by High Court. However the loans have thus far not been paid.

Consequently, Civil Court ruled last November that BML can liquidate the assets that were mortgaged to obtain this loan.

Article 73 (c) (1) of the Constitution states that an MP immediately becomes disqualified if he has a decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgement, and Article 74 states that any question concerning the qualifications or removal, or vacating of seats of an MP shall be determined by the Supreme Court.

Former Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Mustafa also lost his parliament seat when he was found guilty of an unpaid, decreed debt.