December-23 coalition considers removal of Muizz and Shahinda from posts

The December-23 coalition has commenced discussions into the removal of Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizz and President of Police Integrity Commission Shahinda Ismail from their respective posts.

Minister of State for Home Affairs and member of Civil Society coalition Abdullah Mohamed raised several concerns in relation to how Muizz and Shahinda carry out their responsibilities.

He noted that the coalition has obtained evidence to prove that they should be removed from their posts, adding that some of these factors are ‘confidential’, hence cannot be shared with media.

He said that Muizz should be removed from the post of PG because he is careless and does not prosecute what requires prosecution.

Abdullah Mohamed also accused Muizz of being biased in relation to one particular case.

Referring to Shahinda, he said that she is also biased; and as an example, he referred to the breath-analysis tests recently conducted on several Police officers following accusations that they had been intoxicated.

According to Abdullah Mohamed, no attention should have been paid to such false accusations against the Police, which were made for the purpose of defamation of the Police Institution.

A decision will be made next week on removing Muizz and Shahinda by the 20-member steering committee of the coalition.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Act, the Prosecutor General can only be removed from his post by the Parliament.

A member of the Police Integrity Commission can only be removed by the President, in the event that he is declared bankrupt as per Sharia, or fails to fulfil the prerequisites of a Commission member described in the Police Act, or commits a crime.

Muizz said that he is prepared to answer to the Parliament in relation to this matter. Attempts to contact Shahinda have not yet been successful.