The Judiciary Committee of Parliament has approved the appointment of former High Court Justice Abbas Shareef as the new Prosecutor General.
The committee reached this decision following an interview with Abbas, during which he received a remarkable 93.91 percent approval rating. The appointment was approved unanimously by the committee members.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu submitted Abbas's name for the Prosecutor General position to Parliament on September 11. An extraordinary parliamentary session has been scheduled for tomorrow to formally approve Abbas’s appointment.
In his statements, Abbas emphasized his commitment to impartiality and his dedication to fulfilling his legal responsibilities without bias. He clarified that he had not been influenced or encouraged by the President or any politicians to seek this role. Abbas assured that, if appointed, he would remain unaffected by external pressures.
Abbas highlighted his experience presiding over significant political and criminal cases during his tenure as a High Court judge, maintaining an unbiased approach. He pledged to continue this impartiality in his role as Prosecutor General.
He also outlined his approach to handling cases, stating that he would carefully assess whether the elements of a crime are present and whether there is sufficient evidence to support charges. Abbas emphasized that cases would be forwarded to court after evaluating their societal impact. Abbas expressed a desire to focus on rehabilitation and preventative measures for minor offenses, aiming to build a crime-free society rather than solely pursuing convictions.
Abbas holds a law degree from the University of Tasmania and served as a High Court judge from 2011 to 2015.