Supreme Court claims foreign consultant threatened justices

The Maldivian Supreme Court has made serious allegations against foreign consultant Johann Kriegler of threatening the justices during their meeting.

Kriegler was appointed by the Attorney General’s Office to conduct an assessment on judicial reform in the Maldives. He is a retired justice of the South African Constitutional Court.

In a detailed press release on Sunday, the Supreme Court claimed that Kriegler intimidated and threatened Supreme Court justices during a meeting held to gather information for his assessment. The meeting was arranged on the request of the Attorney General.

The top court described Krieglar’s demeanor during the meeting as unprofessional. While foreign consultants are expected to make independent and professional recommendations on judicial reform to government authorities, Kriegler’s attitude during the meeting was prejudiced, the court said.

According to the press release, no discussions on the current condition of the legal sector took place, nor did Kriegler seek any information on the current condition from the justices during the meeting. Instead, his action and speech exhibited that he already had his mind set around a certain belief and had no interest in discussing judicial reform, the court alleges.

The statement further read that Kriegler bluntly recommended that the judges resign and step down from their positions as a plan was already in place to terminate them.

Furthermore, the court said Kriegler had stated that the judicial system and the courthouses would be reformed even if it meant amending the constitution. The current face off between the courthouses and political powers would result in a huge loss for the court houses, Kriegler is claimed to have said. Kriegler also intimidated the Supreme Court justices by stating that he would recommend that all judges are dismissed, said the court.

In their statement, the Supreme Court noted their work toward judicial reform, highlighting a conference held to discuss judicial reform, and the roadmap that was comprised afterwards based on its findings. Concluding the statement, the Supreme Court urged all to respect the independence that is assured to the top court by the constitution, and requested to assist in their efforts to reform the court houses