The first hearing in the trial of the former Housing Minister and current Mayor of Male' City, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu charged with giving a false testimony regarding Noomadi, has concluded after giving ten days to appoint legal representation.

Criminal Court Judge, Saffath Habeeb presided over the hearing today where the Male' City Mayor arrived in court alone. And when asked if he had received all the documents of the case, Muizzu said that he can be sure when a lawyer makes a verification and asked to continue once he had appointed a lawyer.

Highlighting that ten days is usually given to appoint a lawyer, Judge Saffath asked to appoint an attorney in that time period and inform the court.

Inside the hearing on 3 August 2021 in the trial of Dr. Muizzu for providing false testimony.

The case against the newly elected Mayor of Male' City was sent to the Criminal on 14 June. And there had not been a hearing in the trial since the Judge that initially took the case had been transferred to another court. And the second Judge who took the case retracted from the case.

Judge Saffath today said that he would be working to complete the trial as any other case in the section and finish it quickly.

Dr. Muizzu is charged giving a false testimony for testify in the case filed at The Hague, Netherlands, at the Permanent Court of Arbitration on 25 June 2019 by Noomadi, as a witness for the company testifying that the company was on track with the 2011 contract with the Maldivian government for the phase one of a housing unit project and a 2013 agreement for the phase two of that project. Testimony of Dr. Muizzu also include that he did not partaken in the negotiations to retrieve Lh. Dhiffushimaadhoo from Noomadi Resorts, initially leased to develop luxury villas.