PG Usham Denies Allegations of Influencing Supreme Court, Points Finger at Justice Suood

Prosecutor General Ahmed Usham has denied allegations that he attempted to influence judges of the Supreme Court, including Justice Azmiralda Zahir. Speaking at the public forum “Ahaa” (Ask) held last night, Usham said he had not sent any message to influence judicial proceedings and dismissed the accusations as baseless.

Instead, Usham shifted the spotlight toward Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood, accusing him of undermining the justice system and acting as a political figure.

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“The one who has been influencing and corrupting the justice system is Justice Suood,” Usham said. “He is more of a politician than a judge. All his life, he has been talking about politics.”

Usham claimed that Justice Suood has sent messages to him and even to the President through third parties. “If any investigation is conducted, I will prove it,” he said.

Suood, who was also implicated in an internal judicial dispute, resigned from the bench during the early stages of a Judicial Service Commission (JSC) disciplinary inquiry involving three Supreme Court justices.

Usham Clarifies Conversation Referenced by Azmiralda

Addressing the claim made by Justice Azmiralda Zahir—that Usham attempted to influence her via a third person—Usham said the matter involved a casual conversation with a mutual acquaintance.

“I had a conversation with a friend of mine, and the way this unfolded was that this friend was myself and also a mutual friend of Azmiralda Zahira. From our discussion,” Usham explained.

He emphasised that the conversation occurred in early February, at a time when the Supreme Court had not yet scheduled the constitutional case in question.

While Usham did not mention specific dates, background information shows that the case—filed in November by Ali Hussain, the former MP for Kendhoo constituency—was officially scheduled on January 30 for a hearing on February 17. Justice Azmiralda, however, has maintained that the message conveyed to her amounted to an attempt to sway her judicial opinion on the matter.

Usham argued that the conversation had no connection to any active case and was being misrepresented.

Azmiralda’s Legal Team Responds

Justice Azmiralda’s claim surfaced during a disciplinary inquiry by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which concluded with a recommendation to remove both her and fellow Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir from the Supreme Court bench. The Parliament’s Judiciary Committee has backed the recommendation, and the final decision is now awaiting a vote on the floor of the People’s Majlis.

Justice Azmiralda’s legal representative, Ibrahim Shameel, had earlier countered Usham’s defence during the period when she was summoned to give her statement to the Judicial Service Commission as part of a disciplinary inquiry. On that day, Shameel stated:

“We do not believe there is any disciplinary issue regarding her tenure, where a government official relayed a message through another person. The judge stated that the message was communicated directly to her by a senior government official regarding the case, as advocate Shamil mentioned on the same day.”

Background: Disciplinary Case Against Azmiralda and Mahaz

The current disciplinary case facing Justices Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir centres on allegations of judicial misconduct linked to a criminal case involving Azmiralda’s husband.

Justice Azmiralda is accused of attempting to influence legal proceedings after her husband was arrested over alleged illegal activities at a spa. The JSC claims that she used her position to interfere in the case — an allegation she has firmly denied.

Meanwhile, Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir is accused of contacting a Criminal Court judge to influence the same case. He has also denied any wrongdoing.

The disciplinary inquiry initially involved Justice Husnu Al Suood as well, but he resigned from his post during the process, before facing a formal review.

After conducting its investigation, the JSC recommended the dismissal of both Justices Azmiralda and Mahaz, and forwarded the matter to the People’s Majlis. The Judiciary Committee has since endorsed the recommendation, and a final vote on their removal is now pending in Parliament.

Political and Judicial Ramifications

The dispute has raised serious concerns about the independence of the judiciary and the potential influence of political actors on judicial proceedings. Usham’s counter-allegations against former Justice Suood add a new layer of complexity to an already tense situation.

Observers are calling for an impartial investigation into all allegations to ensure public trust in the justice system is not eroded.