Parliament approves Abbas Shareef as new PG

The Parliament has approved the appointment of Abbas Shareef, the current Legal Secretary of the President’s Office as the new Prosecutor General.

The post of Prosecutor General became vacant after the dismissal of PG Hussain Shameem, who had already resigned from the position before the Parliament officially approved his removal on August 22. The President’s Office opened application for the post with a deadline set for September 11. Including Abbas, a total of six individuals applied for the post.

On Monday, Abbas was interviewed by the Parliament’s Judiciary Committee, following a letter sent by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to approve Abbas’s appointment to the role. He received 93.91 percent in the interview, and his appointment was unanimously approved by the committee.

The 20th Parliament approved Abbas’s appointment as the Prosecutor General in a special extraordinary session held outside the session today. Abbas was appointed to the post with 85 votes in favor.

Abbas Shareef holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Tasmania in Australia. Abbas was sworn in as a High Court judge on March 26, 2011, and he retired from the judiciary in September 2015.

As a lawyer, Abbas has practiced law in all levels of judicial courts in the Maldives. Abbas has also held the positions of Assistant Legal Officer, Legal Officer, Assistant Director General, Presidential Appointed Member of the Judicial Service Commission, Vice-President of the Judicial Service Commission and Vice President of the Appeal Committee of the Football Association of Maldives