State Minister at the Youth Ministry, Ashad 'Adubarey' Ali, has been removed from his post. He was dismissed from his post subsequent to the Criminal Court sentencing him to 15 days in prison on Wednesday.
When asked if Ashad would be sacked following the Criminal Court sentence, Head of the Communications Office at the President's Office Ibrahim Hood said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ordered Ashad's dismissal following the Criminal Court order.
AVAS has learned that Ashad is currently in an island in Sh. atoll on official business.
Former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed, against whom a criminal case is ongoing on sexual harassment charges, appointed Ashad as his guarantor to ensure his return when the Criminal Court permitted him to travel overseas for medical purposes. However, Ali failed to appear in court within 72 hours when he was summoned on November 28, 2021. At the time, Ashad said Ali attended the hearing via video conferencing.
As Ali had failed to appear in court as agreed, a hearing was held Wednesday to decide how to penalize Ashad in his role as Ali's guarantor. The presiding judge Hassan Saeed said while the court summons was delivered to Ashad, he did not attend the hearing. The sentence was delivered in his absence.
Judge Hassan Saeed said the court permitted Ali Waheed to travel abroad despite a travel ban on the condition that he returns within four months. Ashad signed a document as his guarantor stating the same.
The judge said Ali later requested the court to carry out his trial online via video conferencing, and two hearings were held in this regard. However, the Supreme Court then issued an order stating that the trial could not be conducted online, after which the online hearings were halted. Although Ashad noted that Ali had appeared at hearings via video conference, there are no signs to indicate that Ashad, in his role as Ali's guarantor, made any attempts to ensure Ali's return to the Maldives, the judge said.
The judge further pointed out that Ashad's actions were a deliberate act of contempt of court. While Ashad had not relayed to the court the reason for his absence at Wednesday's hearing and not appearing at court, the judge said these actions too are in contempt of court.
Adding further that Ashad had violated his agreement with the court, the judge said his actions obstructed Ali's trial. Moreover, he said that his actions cast an undesirable image on the court and the trial, and he must face the consequences for his actions.
Therefore, the judge ordered Maldives Correctional Services to jail Ashad for 15 days for violating the agreement with the court and failing to ensure Ali's appearance at court.
Former State Minister at Youth Ministry Ashad Ali (R) and former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed (R)
