Maldives sacks public prosecutor for refusing to charge VP

A military person stands guard at a boat jetty next to Maldivian flags erected ahead of Republic Day in Male, Maldives, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015. Maldives’ Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to impeach the country’s vice president, who will be charged with terrorism for plotting to kill the president, a minister said. The president, who was not hurt in the blast, has declared a state of emergency, saying the explosion and subsequent discovery of arms posed a threat to national security. AP

MALE, Maldives — The political crisis in the Maldives has deepened as lawmakers voted to fire the country’s chief public prosecutor after he refused to press corruption charges against the country’s sacked vice president.

Fifty-seven lawmakers of the 85-member Parliament voted late Tuesday to fire Prosecutor General Muhtaz Muhzin.

READ: Maldives impeaches VP accused of plotting to kill president

His sacking comes days after he refused to charge former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb for corruption, saying the police did not have a strong case. Adeeb is now in detention suspected of plotting to kill President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Muhzin is the third top official sacked by Parliament controlled by Gayoom since July after Adeeb and his predecessor Mohamed Jameel.

The Indian Ocean nation became a democracy in 2008 after years of autocratic rule but its transition has been difficult.