High Court acquits Qasim Ibrahim

High Court has overturned the three-year and two-month prison sentence issued against Qasim Ibrahim for bribery.

High Court issued its verdict this Monday afternoon following Qasim’s appeal of the prison sentence issued by Criminal Court.

All three judges presiding over the appeal unanimously agreed to overturn the conviction.

The court said in its verdict that hospital record show Qasim was in ill health during his trial, but the trial against him was conducted without sufficient consideration of his ill health.

The court also said the Criminal Court’s verdict infringed on Qasim’s right under Article 51 (f) of the Maldivian Constitution – which states that every citizen has the right to presence during his/her own trial, and the right to legal representation during a trial.

Qasim was issued the prison sentence in absentia.

The court also said the integrity of the procedure during trial was questionable. And that any action or actions rooting from an invalid action was invalid.

The High Court ruled that Qasim’s conviction violated judicial and legal standards, and is therefore nullified with the unanimous agreement of all three judges presiding over the case.

Qasim was convicted of bribery based on comments he made during a political gathering. The State alleged Qasim had offered to reward any lawmaker who would support the impeachment of Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, the Speaker of People’s Majlis, an offer which the State alleged equaled to a bribe.

Qasim, who was in ill health when he was convicted, obtained permission from the State to travel to Germany for medical treatment. He later refused to return to Maldives.

He recently returned to Maldives after the Criminal Court ordered he be released on parole.