Home Minister

The hearing for charges against Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer scheduled for 12:00 p.m. was cancelled because the court could not decided on a motion to change the judge presiding over the case, a senior official from the Criminal Court told Sun Online today.

Umar Naseer wrote to the Criminal Court's Chief Judge and Chief Justice requesting to change the Judge presiding over his case, Abdulla Didi, after Judge Didi refused to provide in writing, a ruling to reject a procedural motion sought by the defence.

The procedural motion by the defence argued that the clause under which Umar Naseer has been indicted contradicts the Freedom of Expression clause in Constitution. Judge Abdulla Didi rejected the motion and said that the motion did not qualify for a procedural issue and thus, the court was not required to provide the ruling in writing.

A former opposition leader, Umar Naseer has been charged for calling 2000 volunteers to follow his instructions and use 50, 12-foot ladders to storm the walls of the country’s main military headquarters during a rally, part of a series of protests prior to the controversial change of power on 7 February 2012.