Fake lawyer's license exposed, police complaint filed

The Bar Council of the Maldives has uncovered a fraudulent lawyer's license and subsequently filed a case with the police. The deception involved the forgery of the signature of former Supreme Court Justice Abdullah Areef on a document claiming to authorize the individual to practice law.

The investigation began after Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) requested the Bar Council to verify the legal permission granted to Fathimath Thooba Abdulla of Haveyli/L.Fonadhoo. In a statement released on Monday, the Bar Council confirmed that it had not issued any legal permission to Thooba.

Further scrutiny revealed that the alleged law license presented by Thooba was prepared in 2020, bearing the name and logo of the Department of Judicial Administration and the Supreme Court. However, the signature on the document was not that of a Supreme Court judge at the time it was purportedly issued.

The Bar Council also confirmed that Thooba's name is not listed on their official register of lawyers. Additionally, a thorough check of the document prepared by Thooba on September 20, 2020, with the forged signature of former Justice Areef, definitively confirmed its fraudulent nature.

Consequently, the Bar Council has lodged a formal complaint with the police to initiate an investigation into this matter. Forging a signature is a criminal offense by law.

The Bar Council urges the public to verify the credentials of individuals offering legal services by checking the official list of licensed lawyers available on their website.