Resident Magistrate Joji Boseiwaqa today expressed reluctance while ruling on the application by former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum to consolidate the charges against him and former Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem. Magistrate Boseiwaqa noted that he could not consider arguments from both the Defense and the State since the case is being heard by Magistrate Yogesh Prasad.
Both defendants attended court, although Sayed-Khaiyum has been excused from the next hearing scheduled for Tuesday. He faces a single count of abuse of office, linked to a report made by the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa. The allegations suggest that between June 30 and July 12, 2022, while serving as Acting Prime Minister, Sayed-Khaiyum signed a Deed of Variation and Addendum with Saneem without the necessary approval from the Constitutional Offices Commission and the President.
Meanwhile, Saneem is charged with one count of receiving a corrupt benefit. It is alleged that from June 1 to July 31, 2022, while serving as Supervisor of Elections, he improperly solicited and obtained over $50,000 in deductible tax relief on his back pay from a senior Government official without lawful authority.