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JSC seeks to dismiss Judge Baary over multiple allegations

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is seeking the dismissal of Juvenile Court Justice, Abdul Baary Yoosuf, through the parliament.

The judicial watchdog Tuesday said a decision was made at its sitting held earlier the same day, regarding the dismissal of Judge Baary. The commission’s members had voted in favour of dismissing the judge through the parliament.

JSC recently investigated several cases involving Judge Baary, including allegations that the judge had benefited from the largest corruption scandal in the country’s history, the MMPRC graft. It also investigated reports that the judge was actively involved in a business between May 2014 until the end of 2018, and his failure to disclose the financial gain obtained through the business.

The JSC noted that the judge shared a close relationship with MMPRC scandal’s main culprit and former Vice President, Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor, and said that he had met Adeeb with a group of judges to discuss some high profile cases. The said meetings were conducted at the garage used to park the vehicles of Criminal Court judges, said JSC.

JSC said it believes Baary forwarded to Adeeb a copy of the verdict made against former president Mohamed Nasheed in his terrorism trial prior to the verdict being delivered in court. Baary’s request to obtain a flat was also fulfilled, with an additional MVR 500,000 was paid to the judge. The downpayment of MVR 600,000 paid for the apartment was obtained in unlawful means, said JSC.

The Judge was previously suspended over the allegations against him, and continues to be in suspension to this day.