Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) has stated that the comments made by the Supreme Court regarding foreign consultant Retired Justice Johann Krieglar are in accordance with fact and reality.
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 top court described Kriegler’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.
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. Kriegler also intimidated the Supreme Court justices by stating that he would recommend that all judges are dismissed, said the court.
While many have been voicing out that the allegations made by the top court are baseless, Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath had stated in an interview given to local TV PSM that although statements are released to tarnish the reputation of Kreigler by the Supreme Court, the fact remains that the courthouses will not be reformed.
However, in a press conference held by the DJA on Monday, Chancellor of the Judicial Academy Ahmed Majid confirmed that the information relayed regarding the incidents involving Kreiglar in the Supreme Court statement are true.
Majid further refuted claims that Justice Kreigler wished to meet with the Supreme Court justices alone, and revealed that arrangements were made to have a representative from the Attorney General’s Office present at the meeting. However, no representatives from the AG Office participated in the meeting, he said.
