The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has launched a dismissal motion against the suspended Chief Judge of the High Court of the Maldives Shujau Usman.
JSC announced the dismissal motion of Shujau Usman has been forwarded to the Parliament of the Maldives, upon the completion of the investigation against him. JSC provided no further details of the decision.
In a JSC meeting held on July 23, the commission decided to suspend Judge Shujau Usman for two months due to an ongoing disciplinary investigation against him. The accusations raised against Shujau Usman include conducting an unofficial trip to Gemanafushi, Gaafu Alifu Atoll in 2018 to gather support for a candidate contesting in the 2018 presidential elections. He is also accused of offering to free an individual remanded under a Criminal Court order in return for votes from the family of the remanded individual.
Furthermore, Shujau Usman is also accused of conducting a certain trial in violation of the special regulations set on conducting videoconference trials amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The judge has been accused of fast-tracking a certain case over several other pending cases in order to provide a financial benefit for somebody.
Shujau Usman was appointed as the Chief Judge of the High Court by in August 2018.