President Mohamed Muizzu has accepted the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) recommendation to appoint disgraced former Supreme Court Justice Abdul Ghani Mohamed as Chief Justice and has forwarded the nomination to Parliament for approval.
Parliament, which is controlled by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), has referred the nomination to its Judiciary Committee. Lawmakers are expected to expedite the process and confirm Ghani’s appointment in the coming days.
The recommendation follows the retirement of Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan last month. Ghani, who was dismissed from the Supreme Court in 2019 after a JSC investigation, was one of three former judges who sought the post.
Ghani previously served on the Civil Court and High Court before joining the Supreme Court, where he was removed after Parliament voted 64-0 to oust him. His dismissal was tied to allegations linked to politically sensitive rulings, including halting the suspension of Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Didi over bribery claims and disqualifying 12 opposition MPs.
The other nominees for Chief Justice were former High Court Chief Justice Shujau Usman and former Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.
The Supreme Court remains under scrutiny following a series of removals and resignations. Three of its seven current justices were appointed by President Muizzu, while two others, Justices Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir, were removed by Parliament after JSC probes. Justice Husnu Al Suood resigned citing political interference.
If confirmed, Ghani will lead a bench reshaped by the Muizzu administration as it prepares to hear politically charged cases, including challenges to constitutional amendments affecting MPs’ party switching and retention of seats.