Prominent businessman Ahmed Ibrahim Didi, known as ‘Campus’ Didi, was stabbed and robbed of almost US$300,000 in cash by unknown assailants last night.
Police said the incident occurred late last night around 12.30 pm on Fareedhee Magu, in front of the Novelty Bookshop.
A Bangladeshi man accompanying Didi suffered a gash to his arm, while Didi was badly injured and was flown to India for medical treatment. Eye witnesses told the newspaper Haveeru that the pavement outside the shop resembled “a red river of blood.”
Sergeant Shiyam from Maldives Police Service confirmed the amount of money stolen was “a lot”, while Haveeru reported the attackers escaped with almost US$200,000 and RF$1 million in cash.
Speaking to Haveeru on behalf of the family, Mohamed Ibrahim Didi, younger brother of Campus Didi, said that his brother’s condition was very serious and that all details regarding the stabbing and robbery would be made available through the police.
Shiyam refused to speculate whether the attack was random or Didi was specifically targeted, as the incident was under investigation.
The attack had similarities to the recent spate of gang muggings of store owners, he said.
A man was robbed of over $US30,000 by a gang who attacked him at Gadiburu roundabout in late November, while the previous month four men were arrested after attacking two men with iron rods and stealing Rf762,700 (US$60,000).
“Some businesses carry around a very big amount of money [after they close],” he said. “We’re trying to give the message that business and local residents should be careful about carrying such large amounts money.”
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When the mandate of this government is to release offenders and sentenced criminals with "multiple criminal records" this is the result you get.
there have been more money stolen from muggins and armed robberies in 2009 than in the past 30 or even 100 years combined.
not only is the economy a mess but the crime rate is a mess too, guess we should blame the former government again? i guess not.
this is a big headace for all of us.these gang people are doing this.where is our human right people. why should the human rights asshole tell to leave these asshole fellows, when we get robbed. last night my father shop was robbed too, thank god my father is ok.
I hope he gets well.
Yet another victory for the Maldives [Traffic] Police services. You'd think with the sheer number of police per person you'd have better enforcement here.
I think this will continue until this broken system is fixed.
1) Attack
2) Arrest of attacker
3) Victim/Witness asked to give testimony without any animosity or security
After which either:
- Victim/Witness gives his statement and is threatened/attacked by gang members still free
- Victim/Witness is threatened/attacked by the person he just sent to jail (after said person is released after a minuscule amount of time)
- Victim/Witness is threatened and changes his statement. Just walks away. Perpetrators go free.
Which route is most probable? And that's just the justice system; not to mention all the horrors that shape a child growing up in a gang environment.
While this incident must be condemned in the strongest language and I pray for Didi to make a quick recovery, this criminal act raises a lot of disturbing questions.
What was Campus Didi doing carrying more than a quarter millions dollars in cash in the middle of the night?
Does his legitimate business generate this kind of cash for a person to be carrying such large amounts of cash around?
Where did this cash come from?
While some people involved in illegal businesses such as drug trade do have large legitimate businesses as cover for their crimes, there is no evidence or reason to suspect that this could be such a case. But the police investigating this case should conduct a broader investigation into the whole matter instead of just concentrating on the physical assault.
It is really sad that acts like this have become prevalent among us. Problems like this do not arise overnight and solutions also cannot come about overnight. However, my belief is that as individuals, as citizens, we have to actively seek solutions instead of getting involved in politicians’ blame games, self serving rhetoric and actions. That has been and probably always will be how the dirty game of politics is played – and not just in Maldives. Perhaps it is just more out in the open now in this country. If all of us let ourselves be taken in by politicians, there will be no end to any of it. As citizens we have to find ways to move forward productively – but to do that we need to live in reality, call a spade a spade, and move forward in positive and constructive ways. We have a myriad social issues – and there is much that can be done by us as individuals and as civil society in general to generate positive behaviours and habits, provide alternative forms of engagement, develop capacity, encourage and rehabilitate those among us who need that assistance, etc, etc. It CAN be done – each of us just needs to take that decision and just do something. In memory of Michael Jackson - let us make an attempt to "Heal the world & Make it a better place"! 🙂 Seriously.
Can you please ask the sergeant why they have failed to arrest and prosecute a single person in numerous cases of armed robberies throughout this year. over Million Dollars were taken from different people yet the only person(s) who were caught were due to public arrests. Amounts spent on the Police and their surveillance equipment are enough to get them top of the line gear. Yet they are never used. Forensic department only measures the length of the wound , cameras follow the girls walking on the street and the patrol cars only ride along the marine drive road.the police job is more like that of a municipal police. The best is every time there is an increase in stabbing or fights they just have a road block in front of No;1 jetty and sultan park as if the criminals or would be criminals will have no other option but to pass theses points. now comes the blame game the courts and PJ office first then the public for not reporting. Now do we need a police force to police the MPS? Pasting to protect and serve on your badges and cars just wont do, you have to actually do it. Is the Home minister still Abdullah kamaludeen in disguise?
Maybe it's time for Maldivian businesses to start thinking of hiring Security services that deal with cash transportation.
If these sort of services are still lacking, it's time for enterpreuners to step up and establish one or two.
All sympathies aside, at the end of the day, by carrying around so much cash by yourself you are an open target for muggers.
I mean come on, where does anyone get mugged of $300,000 at this day and age, unless of course you are laundering money or a drug dealer.
In another country, you might be even investigated for money laundering if you're carrying such large sums in cash.
A year ago and before, gangs were paid large sums of money and drugs for making money and controlling mass through intimidation and otherwise. And, these sources are drying up.
To sweat and earn, is unknown to these gangs.
Now that the sourcing wells are also drying up, easy cash can be got only from where they are!
This seems to be a slow process for the beginning of a series of something !!!!