Police have summoned the president’s appointed member to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), Mohamed ‘Reynis’ Saleem, for questioning regarding allegations he commissioned gang activities.
Saleem reported to police headquarters in Male’ yesterday (May 25) to answer questions related to an ongoing police investigation.
He has been accused of “exploiting a gang to commit crimes, including mugging,” according to local media. Saleem allegedly enlisted a gang to recover money owed to him.
The case under investigation is not related to the Dr Afrasheem Ali murder, a police media official told Minivan News today (May 26).
“As the investigation is ongoing, I am not able to provide any further details. We are facing difficulties now,” the official said.
The police do not have any plans to arrest Saleem or forward charges to the Prosecutor General’s Office at this time.
Meanwhile, Saleem has refuted the allegations, claiming he has no links to gang members, or anyone affiliated with gangs, and he did not enlist gangs to conduct criminal activities.
“The first thing I want to make clear is that I don’t have any links with gangs, or links with any person connected with gangs,” Saleem told local media.
“The question the police asked was whether I had sent a group to collect some money owed to me by someone. I said that I never sent any group to collect any money for me. So if someone owed me money, I would go to court. I shouldn’t have to involve a group,” explained Saleem.
Saleem also denied allegations he had links to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officer Azleef Rauf, who was accused of planning the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali by suspect Hussein Humam, and was subsequently arrested on May 23.
“A serious question is being raised, about a person named Azleef. When I read the papers today, there were reports about a person named Azleef. Right now is a very critical moment, and they have associated my name with his name. I don’t want any newspaper writing in this manner,” said Saleem.
Saleem claimed that his police summons was politically motivated and related to his current JSC responsibilities, but that he would “disclose details [about the allegation] when the right time comes.”
“It’s a personal issue”: JSC
“We believe the issue is unrelated to the JSC or JSC work,” JSC Secretary General Aboobakuru Mohamed told Minivan News today.
“It is a personal issue [of Saleem’s] and the commission is not going to do anything or comment,” said Mohamed.
“We don’t appoint members, the President or Majlis (parliament) does, and should take up the matter,” he added.
Former President’s Member on the JSC Aishath Velezinee told Minivan News that JSC members under police investigation should not participate in the commission while this was ongoing.
“When any JSC member is being investigated they should not be participating in the commission. It reflects on the commission and the status of the judiciary,” she said.
“The JSC should be above criticism. How can the public trust judges if JSC members are under question?” she asked.
“Saleem should refrain from participating in the JSC voluntarily, that would be the best course of action,” she added.
Velezinee explained that because “Maldivians do not think like that,” parliament should suspend Saleem from the JSC until the investigation is complete, as was the course of action taken with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) President Mohamed Fahmy.
“Parliament should put Saleem on leave, not as a punishment but until the investigation is over,” stated Velezinee.
“It doesn’t matter who it is, [allegations of] involvement in serious crime require a full investigation by the police,” she noted.
She further detailed that the appropriate course of action requires police to inform the Prosecutor General, who should then inform Parliament so they can take action.
“I welcome the police to investigate, although the police are not without question themselves,” said Velezinee.
“The government itself is in question, anything that happens at this moment will be politicised,” she added.
President’s Office Spokespersons Masood Imad and Mohamed Thaufeeq, as well as Parliament Speaker MP Abdulla Shahid were not responding to calls at time of press.
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hahaha...
This is the same old story. Jabir, Hamid and Zaki walks scott free. Untouchable. They dont even have to refuse urine sample, they just ignore the Police request. No body can touch them.
Now, if it were the average Mordisian, if urine samples are refused, he would jailed the same day, for a 2 year period, no less.
Same situation here.
This particular JSC member must not be having the backing. There are MANY known cases, of the Parliament members, ministers, etc who have backed the gang wars, openly supported their activities. But the policemen's knees start trembling, when they hear their names.
What a cowardly institution. They men there, need to change their tampons twice every day!
Isn't this a man from Jabir's household or one of his own staff?
Hope the media (inluding minivann) is a little bit more investigatory than just writing a headline. And where is Velazinee? He has also involved in defending highly controversial cases.
Clearly this man is in the thick of many things and the public has the right to know a lot about his background, his backers, who employees him in his night job and how he got the job as an unqualified person.
Also Dr. Waheed has to explain why he appointed a controversial person to the Guardian Council of the Judicially or the JSC. Clearly Waheed is complicit too and this is why the country has gone beyond the point of no return.
Please give this mans full background.
There was once a grafitti piece in Villinghilli which read 'The Darkness' apparently the name of a gang. Gangs are indeed - the dark shadow of the politicians. - Politicians are modern Fanditha practitioners - they practice "Sihuru" - black magic - because when a politician kills - they are invisible like the invisible Fanditha practitioners who burned half of Male' whilst made invisible through the aid of blood drawn from the liver of a freshly dead child.
All children are dead to the power brokers of the Maldives - because Maldivian power brokers do not care to use innocent children to do their dirty work, even when it means they are ultimately killing them by doing so. They do not see these children as humans, in need of care, and love, they are just - cannon fodder.
Like these Fanditha men of old, the power brokers of the Maldives still hide behind the blood of innocent children. The blood of children is spilt to fulfill the venomous lust for power and vengeance of the politicians. The difference is of course, these children, until murdered by the power brokers, are still alive, children are sacrificed to fulfill the lust of these evil tyrants. The bastards will oneday have to answer for the blood of the innocent children that is on their hands. They will pay for the life they have robbed, and the Mother's who they have grieved.
Whats more, I believe that politicians from ALL parties have had - or have their 'SHADOWS.'
If Mr. Saleem engaged a lawyer ... he is done the right thing. results would be zero recovery of the losses. Now he engages gangsters. wrong move. positive result in the recovery of the lost money. Alternatives are he could submit complains to the police, or call Sheihk Ilyas for a Dua to recite.