The Supreme Court of the Maldives has ruled that the High Court ruling to not hear the cancellation of Ibrahim Zaki's passport as illegal.

Zaki has held many ministerial positions in the governments of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom and former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The case was filed in the Supreme Court, on behalf of the state by Maldives Immigration.

Zaki was arrested in 2013 along with incumbent Kaashidhoo MP Abdullah Jabir for allegedly possessing liquor along with some then MPs and MDP members. However, a court ordered the cancellation of his passport in 2020 for failing to repay some of the dollars he had taken from someone.

The prosecution appealed to the High Court against the cancellation of Zaki's passport by the Civil Court. However, in September last year, the court ruled that the state had no right to appeal the civil court order.

A three-judge bench of the High Court, which heard the case, ruled unanimously that Zaki had the right to appeal against the cancellation of his passport if any of his rights or interests were violated. The state has not been able to prove how that right was overturned.

Where a person believes that his rights have been violated by a judgment or order of the lower court, he should appeal the matter in the High Court on behalf of the State instead of appealing the matter individually.

Therefore, the Maldivian State (Maldives Immigration) does not have the authority to refer the case to the High Court. For that reason, it cannot be insisted that it is a case that the Immigration can file in court and does not consider it to be a matter for the High Court to decide.

The High Court ruling led the Immigration to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court today quashed the High Court's judgment in the case.

The judgment also ordered the High Court to decide the subject matter of the case under the Courts Act.