Resident Magistrate Joji Boseiwaqa has hesitantly addressed the application from former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum to consolidate the charges against him and ex-Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem. Magistrate Boseiwaqa stated that he could not consider the arguments presented by both the Defence and the State, as the case is currently under the jurisdiction of Magistrate Yogesh Prasad.
Both defendants were present in court, though Sayed-Khaiyum has been excused from the next hearing scheduled for Tuesday. He faces a charge of abuse of office, stemming from a report filed by Ana Mataiciwa, the Supervisor of Elections. The allegation suggests that between June 30 and July 12, 2022, while serving as Acting Prime Minister, Sayed-Khaiyum signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum involving the Government and Saneem without the necessary approval from the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President.
Saneem is charged with receiving a corrupt benefit, accused of unlawfully requesting and obtaining a tax relief benefit exceeding $50,000 on his back pay from a senior government official during his tenure as Supervisor of Elections from June 1 to July 31, 2022.