Afaaf Abdul Majeed – Minivan News

State prosecutors have accused former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim of conspiring with opposition Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group to harm state officials.

At today’s first hearing on an illegal weapons charge, State Prosecutor Adam Arif said documents on a pen drive confiscated from Nazim’s house during a January 18 raid show the former defence minister was planning individual and joint operations, financed by the Villa group, to cause bodily harm to “senior honourable state officials.”

The pen drive was confiscated along with a pistol, live bullets and an improvised explosive device during the early morning raid, police have previously said.

Presiding Judge Sujau Usman denied Nazim legal representation at today’s hearing stating the Prosecutor General’s Office had not yet decided which documents from the pen drive were to be kept confidential and which were to be made public.

However, Nazim’s lawyer Maumoon Hameed was allowed inside the courtroom as an observer.

The former defense minister pleaded not guilty. Judge Usman gave Nazim three days to re-appoint a lawyer and answer charges. He is to be kept in police custody until the trial ends.

Nazim’s trial comes amidst heightened tension in Malé. Former President Mohamed Nasheed is also in police custody pending a verdict in terrorism charges over the military detention of a Criminal Court Judge in January 2012. Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party and Gasim’s JP formed an alliance shortly after the weapons find at Nazim’s house and have pledged to overthrow President Abdulla Yameen’s government.

Nazim’s wife, Afaaf Abdul Majeed, was also in court today on the same charges. But Arif told the court the PG’s office was withdrawing charges, claiming the confidential documents had brought to light new information.

Obstacle to justice

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Hameed said the state’s decision to present confidential documents present “a major obstacle in ensuring a fair trial for Nazim.”

“We will not be able to respond to any of the confidential documents, which hampers his right to justice. We will object to this, and we will do everything within our means to protect Nazim’s rights.”

According to Hameed, the court has not yet provided lawyers with any case documents on charges against Nazim or Afaaf.

“We believe there is no basis to charges against Colonel Nazim’s wife, in the same vein, we believe there is no basis to prosecute Nazim as well,” he said.

Afaaf was sent a summons to attend today’s trial on Monday, despite having received no indication she was under suspicion for possessing illegal weapons.

When the trial began, she was sitting next to Nazim at the defence stand, but was later transferred to the observer stand.

When Nazim left the courtroom he passed by the observer stand, and said to his family, “your mother is now free.”

“My freedom alone won’t do,” Afaaf replied.

Hameed said the Criminal Court in a separate remand hearing ruled Nazim posed a threat to society and must be kept in police custody until the trial ended.

Hameed said he would appeal the ruling as well as a February 11 ruling in which Nazim was remanded for 15 days on additional charges of treason and terrorism.

Despite the controversial weapons find on January 18, the police made no moves to arrest the former minister, and Nazim continued to fulfil his ministerial duties the next day.

President’s Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali at the time told media that President Abdulla Yameen continued to have “full confidence” in Nazim.

The following day (January 20) Nazim was dismissed. On February 9, police submitted files to the PG Office requesting charges be pressed against Nazim for illegal weapons possession.

Within hours, at 12:30am on February 10, police arrested Nazim on new terrorism and treason charges.

The former minister’s defence team said the weapons were planted at his residence, alleging police officers spent ten minutes inside Nazim’s apartment alone after they herded the retired colonel and his family into the living room.

The former Police Chief Abdulla Riyaz claimed Nazim is being framed.

Police have repeatedly denied framing Nazim, describing allegations as a “baseless” attempt at discrediting the force.

Despite Nazim’s detention on new charges, the police have not questioned the former minister even once, Hameed claimed.

State prosecutors did not offer substantive evidence to either arrest Nazim or keep him in detention, Hameed contended.

The allied opposition parties have described the state’s prosecution of Nazim and Nasheed, as well as alleged economic sanctions against Gasim as part of President Yameen’s plan to establish authoritarian control.

The government, however, claims it has no influence in the charges against Nasheed and Nazim, stating the trials were initiated by an independent Prosecutor General and tried through independent courts.

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Former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim’s wife has been charged with the illegal possession of weapons and arms, lawyers have confirmed.

Afaaf Abdul Majeed has been summoned to a first hearing at the Criminal Court on February 25, at 4:00pm, despite having received no indication she was under suspicion for possessing illegal weapons, lawyer Maumoon Hameed said.

“Afaaf has received a summons. But we have not received any additional information other than what was provided on the summons. We do not even know which laws the state is charging her under. We are yet to receive the court documents,” he said.

Hameed said Afaaf had been questioned over the controversial discovery of a pistol, bullets and an improvised explosive device at the former Defense Minister’s residence on January 18, but the police had not questioned her again afterwards.

“Apart from the statements police took from all family members during the alleged discovery of weapons from Nazim’s residence, no other investigative processes involving Afaaf has taken place.”

The Prosecutor General’s (PG) Spokesperson Adam Arif declined to comment on the case. Meanwhile, a Criminal Court Spokesperson was unable to confirm if the PG had filed charges against Nazim and his wife.

Nazim is currently in police custody over terrorism and treason charges. The Maldives Police Services said the former minister had been plotting to overthrow President Abdulla Yameen’s administration and was planning to harm senior government officials.

Nazim’s lawyers say the weapons were planted at his house and say he is being framed.

According to lawyers, Specialist Operations (SO) officers forced open Nazim’s door in the early hours of the morning on January 18, gathered Nazim, his wife and two children in the sitting room, and spent at least ten minutes without independent oversight in the then-minister’s bedroom. Shortly afterwards, investigative officers arrived on the scene, checked Nazim’s bedroom in his presence and discovered the weapons in a bedside drawer.

The police insist they were unaware whose house they were raiding.

Nazim was dismissed as Defense Minister on January 20, and subsequently declared no citizen was safe in the Maldives. He was arrested days after the police filed charges at the Prosecutor General’s office.

The Criminal Court on February 11 remanded Nazim for 15 days. The High Court upheld the detention on February 19.

Lawyers are appealing the police’s search warrant at the High Court.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed, also arrested for terrorism charges yesterday (February 22), and Jumhooree Party Leader Gasim Ibrahim have repeatedly called for Nazim’s immediate release from custody, accusing the government of “framing” the former minister.

Opposition parties have described Nasheed and Nazim’s arrest as President Abdulla Yameen’s efforts to silence opposition voices and to disqualify presidential contenders.