Former Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed has been freed after completing his jail sentence.
An official from Maldives Correctional Service said Ali Hameed's sentence was completed in September. However, he did not disclose the date on which he was freed.
Ali Hameed was charged and convicted of influencing official conduct. The Criminal Court sentenced him to one year, seven months and six days in jail, with both the High Court and the Supreme Court maintaining the verdict.
The Criminal Court also ordered to revoke licenses issued to Ali Hameed which allowed him to practice law and deliver religious sermons.
Part of Ali Hameed's sentence was served in jail while the remainder was served under house arrest.
Ali Hameed was also convicted for obstruction of justice for refusing to handover his mobile phone for investigation following the contentious February 1 court order which called for the release of jailed opposition leaders. He received a sentence of one year, seven months and six days for the offence, which was later overturned by the High Court.
Although the former Supreme Court justice was also charged with accepting bribes in connection to the February 1 court order, the charges were later dropped by the Criminal Court.
The landmark February 1 ruling ordered the release of nine political detainees and re-instated twelve lawmakers who had earlier lost their parliament seats. The two judges who signed the order, then Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Justice Ali Hameed were subsequently arrested and jailed, after which the remaining judges of the Supreme Court nullified the ruling in parts.
