Maldives' Top Court Attempts to Remove President

A chief law enforcement official said the Maldives' top court is trying to topple the government of ruling president Abdulla Yameen who has been accused of corruption convictions among other charges. 

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"The Maldives is heading towards a crisis," Mohamed Anil, the attorney general, said on state TV on Sunday.

Anil added the security forces have learned that "the Supreme Court may issue an order to impeach the president." 

"I have informed all law enforcement agencies they must not obey such an illegal order," he said, Al Jazeera reported. 

Tensions are rising in Male, Maldives' capital as different groups are in a state of an uprising in the politically tumultuous situation. 

According to a local private television channel from Colombo, exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed said "Neither the attorney general, nor the chief of defense forces, nor the acting police chief can override the constitution of the Maldives," he said. "I urge Maldivian citizens to take to the streets against their illegal actions." 

Nasheed urged the security forces "not to obey the orders of the attorney general" and "arrest all three of them immediately," Al Jazeera reported. 

Antonio Guterres, UN chief, also urged the president to comply with the top court's ruling. 

"President Yameen is not a person to flee at such a difficult time for the public,"  Yameen told a group of cheering supporters outside the ruling party headquarters in Male.

"The president and the state must be afforded time to speak with the Supreme Court to take measures to comply with its rulings," he said, adding that he will "check how this came to happen," he added, Al Jazeera reported.