Category: News in Brief

An expatriate man who was deported from the Maldives after police discovered he was running a brothel has been caught again for the same crime, Miadhu reports.

Cicera Kumar Fernando, 32, returned to the Maldives using a forged passport, according to Inspector Hamdhoo Rasheed, head of the police force’s serious and organised crime unit.

Fernando was using M. Mariyaadhu, a guesthouse in Male’, as a front for a brothel.

Police also arrested an expatriate woman, 22-year-old Sharmila Prasaadini Gregory and two locals.

President Mohamed Nasheed left yesterday to Hadhdhunmathee atoll where he will take an inter-atoll tour by ferry.

Ferry services were introduced in the South Province as part of the government’s plan to establish nationwide ferry system.

In Gan, the president will participate in a forum to give information on the government’s development projects.

Four Maldivian staff at Seenu atoll Villigili resort has said they have been suspended for allegedly stealing bottles of alcohol and beer from a restaurant mini-bar using a tourist’s card, according to Haveeru.

One of the suspended workers said the four, two working at housekeeping and two buggy drivers, were informed that they were suspended indefinitely.

The suspended employee denied that they stole the alcohol. “We didn’t even go to the mini-bar on the night they say it happened,” he said.

He added the accusation has ruined their reputation.

Ahmed Shaaneez, communication manager at the resort, said no employees have been suspended for the alleged offence, but measures had been taken against employees for not turning up for work.

The Maldives celebrated the International Day of Peace on Monday with a number of activities throughout the day, Miadhu reports.

The day kicked off with a football match between veteran football players from the sixties and seventies.

The match was organised by the Male’ Veterans Club, the youth ministry and the Maldives Volunteer Corps.

Countries around the world are asked to hold football matches to mark the day, symbolising their common goal of peace.

Every year at the UN Headquarters in Switzerland, “Peace Bell”, cast from coins donated by children all over the world, is rung.

The bell was gifted by the Japanese government and is a “reminder of the human cost of war”.

The inscription on the bell reads: “Long live absolute world peace.”

Peace Day was first celebrated in 1981.

Police have now arrested a total of 17 people in connection with the gang violence over the past week in Addu atoll Hithadhoo, Miadhu reports.

Out of the 17 arrested, 12 were arrested for direct involvement in fights while four were arrested for obstructing police and one for illegally entering Hithadhoo police station.

According to police, many of those arrested have cases pending against them at the prosecutor general’s office.

Following two episodes of gang violence last Thursday, Mohamed Maumoon, 19, was seriously injured and flown to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in the capital Male’.

He remains unconscious.

The Dhivehi Gaumee Party’s office was ransacked yesterday, according to Miadhu.

The party’s secretary-general, Abdulla Ameen, said that while the office had been broken into, it was unclear whether anything had been stolen.

Ameen said the doors and windows of the office were damaged and the perpetrators had rifled through various documents.

He added one of the party’s offices had been broken into in a similar manner during the parliamentary election campaign.

Police are investigating the case.