Faris’ bribery hearing cancelled with State prosecutor abroad

Monday’s preliminary hearing in the bribery case against Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Faris Maumoon has been cancelled as the lead State prosecutor in the case is out of the country.

The preliminary hearing, scheduled for 10 am at the Criminal Court, was cancelled after the Prosecutor General’s Office sent a letter to the court requesting the cancellation.

The court announced the cancellation approximately one-and-a-half hour after the scheduled starting time of the hearing.

Faris is accused of offering a briber to a fellow parliamentarian in order to obtain 42 signatures for an impeachment petition against the Speaker of People’s Majlis, Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed; following the change in regulation on submission of petitions on April 10.

The last preliminary hearing in the case, on November 7, was cancelled at the request of Faris’ attorneys after State submitted new evidence which the defense needed time to review.

The State has submitted an anonymous witness in the case, which it says is the parliamentarian Faris offered the bribe to.