One of the men charged with attacking the manager of Habib Bank, Mohamed Anjul Jameel, was previously imprisoned but may have recently been transferred to house arrest under the rehabilitation programme, according to reports today.
The 56 year-old was stabbed when four men broke into his apartment on the sixth floor of Machangolhi Uraha in Male’. On his release from hospital, Jameel said he was leaving the Maldives, and vowed never to return.
Daily newspaper Haveeru cited an official from the Department for Penitentiary and Rehabilitaion Service (DPRS) as claiming that 20 year-old Abdulla Aseel, of Galolhu Coralsea, had been released on the 27th of February.
The newspaper reported that Aseel had been sentenced for possession of three grams of drugs, while a person in authority familiar with the matter confirmed to Minivan News that Aseel had been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
However State Minister for Home Affairs Ahmed Adil said the claims made in Haveeru were yet to be confirmed.
Mohamed Zuhair, Press Secretary for the President’s Office, also said the government had yet to verify the claims.
Managing Director of the DPRS, Mohamed Rasheed, responded to enquiries from Minivan News but said he would only answer questions during office hours.
Zuhair acknowledged that the government had transferred many prisoners to house arrest.
”In the first round we transferred 200 inmates, and in the second round 119 inmates,” he said, explaining that ”it would be unfair for the people to think that everyone transferred to house arrest will be engaging in crimes.”
He explained that ”if a woman commits a crime, that doesn’t mean you can think that women will commit crimes.”
Another of the three men arrested for the stabbing of the bank manager, Ali Shuaib, was also arrested last year in connection with a murder case last year. Shuaib was investigated over the killing of a Bangladeshi man by hitting him with a three-foot long log, but he was acquitted.
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Does this mean I have to get a submachine gun for self defense?.
very good! so it is rehabilitation programm?drugs addict,crazy criminals will stay at home ,dhaving beer and after nice vacation retern to dirty business?how do you call this mad decision ?rehabilitation?i think it is will be true paradise for criminals.it is clear that a Big bribe was given to the officials.same like before when drug lord become a 100% holy angel hehehe
Zuhair is right in the sense that you can't use this example to label all criminals as being unable to rehabilitate. HOWEVER we can legitimately question the screening mechanisms used by the government when picking inmates for these programs.
Last I heard, even two people who led the 1988 terror attack are running around loose in the streets.
yes its high time to get a body guard for every able person .tamil tiger will do...
Dear Zuhair,
I do agree with you that not all that were pardoned and released to house arrest would be criminals and would commit crimes again. But one thing we are sure of is that since the release of these so called "good criminals" the crime rate in Male' have risen and the nature of crimes commited are alarming.
Therefore why dont you agree that this practice has failed and is not viable to our small country? take them back in to the prisons / cells where they belon and let the decent people live their life without any fear of being stabbed or being robbed in day light.
I call upon the government, majlis, police and judiciary to help us poor people.