Author: Ahmed Nazeer

BML urges customers to keep PINs secret

The Bank of Maldives (BML) has urged its customers to keep their personal identification numbers to themselves after thieves withdrew large sums from multiple ATMs in the capital Male’.

”It is very common in the Maldives to share the pin number of their cards, for example when paying a bill at a restaurant the customer might handover the card and pin number,” a BML spokesman told Minivan News.

‘We appeal all of our customers to stop sharing their pin number with anyone.”

Police have started searching for a group of expats who are alleged to have taken money from many different BML accounts without the knowledge of the owners.

The police uploaded video footage of the two expats while they were in the act of withdrawing money from one of the BML ATM machines.

Police said that they used different machines at different locations in Male’ to withdraw, stealing large amounts of money on 17 and 18 October.

Police appealed the public to share any information regarding the two expats and asked anyone with information to contact the police hotline (3322111) or the police economic crime department (9790048). If on an island, police asked individuals to inform the island council or island police station.

Protection was assured to anyone able to provide information on the case.

A spokesman from BML today told Minivan News that these type of cases occur most of the time because customers share their pin number with people.

He noted that a lot of times women will share their PIN number with close friends and have them withdraw money or use the card, and that most of the time customers have neither mobile alerts nor use internet banking to track their transactions.

The spokesperson stated that the details of the case could not be revealed while police are investigating the case, but did note that the bank would reimburse account holders if it was found to be at fault for any lost money.

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Police implements 100 day road-map to strengthen service

Police have established a 100 day road-map and have started implementing it in order to strengthen the work of police and to gain the trust of the people.

The road-map is based on four main strategies which seek to increase and enhance operational activities, conduct activities to curb crime, enhance and hasten investigations, and improve the police institution.

Police stated that when the road-map’s aims are achieved, they will be able to provide a safe environment for citizens, to gain the trust of the people and also to provide services to the people more closely. They also noted that it will make police officers more able to work using the available tools and established infrastructure.

80 percent of the investigations filed with police are intended to be completed and sent to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office as part of enhancing and hastening investigations.

Police have also decided to conclude investigations into crimes other than those of a serious or organised nature in 30 days.

In addition to this, police have said they will share their data link with the Drug Court, the Criminal Court and the PG’s Office.

To achieve the second strategy – increasing and enhancing operational activities – police will follow proactive policing to determine criminals before they commit the crime and conduct intelligence-led special operations.

During the 100 days the police will increase the amount of CCTV cameras in Male’ to 150 and install cameras in Addu City at five different locations.

To accomplish the strategy to curb crime, police will conduct campaigns to raise awareness and to protect victims of child abuse, and will print out leaflets to make people aware of crimes. It will also launch a handbook about the work of the force’s forensic department.

Police said they will also conduct programs to train boat captains, to open job opportunities for youths, and to establish a crime prevention committee.

The road-map also includes sending officers abroad to learn to research ballistic evidence and introducing new ways to investigate complaints about police officers.

Furthermore, building 10 more cells in Dhoonidhoo Police Custodial centre where persons arrested for investigation are detained and building a detention facility for minors were included in the 100 day road-map.

Police have also decided to conclude testing of suspicious drugs within three days and to conduct three special operations to curb the illegal businesses of drug and alcohol.

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JSC transfers Judge Adbulla Mohamed from the Criminal Court to the Drug Court

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has today decided to transfer the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed to same position with the Drug Court.

In a tweet today Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza, who is also the member representing the parliament in the JSC, confirmed the decision was made at today’s meeting.

Speaking to Minivan News today Hamza said that the decision was made to strengthen the courts by transferring experienced judges to different courts so that they could share their knowledge and experience with others.

He said about eight judges has been transferred to different courts.

A JSC spokesperson said that he was on vacation and did not have information about the matter.

Newspaper Haveeru reported that a member of the JSC told the paper that Abdulla Mohamed would start work in January next year.

The paper reported that the decision was made as part of a refreshment program.

In January 2012, Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed was arrested by the MNDF in compliance with a police request. The judge’s whereabouts were not revealed until January 18, when the MNDF has acknowledged receipt but not replied to Supreme Court orders to release the judge.

Prosecutor General (PG) Ahmed Muizz soon joined the High Court and Supreme Courts in condemning the MNDF’s role in the arrest as unlawful, and requesting that the judge be released.

A series of protests were held by the then-opposition political parties calling for the release of the judge which ended with a police and military mutiny on February 2012 resulting in President Mohamed Nasheed’s ouster.

In 2005, then Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed forwarded to the President’s Office concerns about the conduct of Abdulla Mohamed after he allegedly requested that an underage victim of sexual abuse re-enact hear abuse for the court.

In 2009 – following the election of the current government – those documents were sent to the JSC, which was asked to launch an investigation into the outstanding complaints as well as alleged obstruction of “high-profile corruption investigations”.

The JSC decided not to proceed with the investigation on July 30, 2009. However, in November last year, the JSC completed an investigation into a complaint of ethical misconduct against the judge.

The case was presented to the JSC in January 2010 by former President Nasheed’s member of the JSC, Aishath Velezinee, after Abdulla Mohamed appeared on private network DhiTV and expressed “biased political views”.

In October 2011, the ruling MDP appealed for assistance from the international community over the “increasingly blatant collusion between politicians loyal to the former autocratic President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and senior members of the judiciary – most of whom were appointed by Gayoom during his thirty years of power.”

The MDP statement also referred to the corruption trial of Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim, charged with multiple counts of defrauding the former Atolls Ministry, which remains “indefinitely delayed.”

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Police charges Ahmed Niyaz with Laamu Gan murder case

Police have asked the Prosecutor General’s office to charge Ahmed Niyaz, 28 of Gan in Laamu Atoll, with the murder case of Mohamed Hassan of the same island.

Hassan was killed while he was sleeping on March 12, 2013.

According to police, at around 11:25pm Niyaz hit Mohamed Hassan in the head whilst he was sleeping. He died the following day after failing to survive the injuries received.

Police said the case was investigated by police Serious and Organized Crime department and sent to the PG’s office on November 26.

Niyaz is still in police custody.

Furthermore, the police said Niyaz had previous records of assault, battery and robbery.

On March 13, Hassan, aged 51, died in the ICU of Indira Gandi memorial Hospital (IGMH) with injuries to the right side of his head which caused serious injuries to his skull.

His condition was critical and doctors did not allow him to be transferred abroad for further treatment.

The Laamu Gan Regional Hospital Manager told local media at the time that that the victim’s nose and ears were bleeding continuously when he was admitted to hospital

Sources from the island told Minivan News that the victim was having an affair with a woman living in the house he was sleeping in.

The source said one of the woman’s sons was arrested in connection with the case.

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Police warns of people fraudulently collecting funds for dollars exchange

The police have urged caution after reports that groups have been collecting Maldivian rufiyaa from people, promising to exchange it before fleeing with the money.

In a statement the police revealed that last lots of such cases filed in recent days.

Police said that common targets are people walking alone on the streets who are then approached regarding exchangin ruffiyaa for dollars.

Police also said that in some cases these people arrive on motorbikes and take their victims on the bike to silent areas of Malé.

Another tactic used has been to attempt to gain the trust of their victim by giving them a mobile number which, when checked by police often turn out to be sim cards taken in the name of expats.

Investigations in to this type of cases show the offenders to be well presented – most of the time tucks their shirt under their pants and a pen in their pocket – giving the appearance of someone who normally does money exchange, the police said.

The police appealed people not to trust unknown individuals when dealing with money and also to identify people using an official document.

An online businessman who spoke to Minivan News on condition of anonymity said that people do not go to the Bank of Maldives to get dollars because it is a difficult procedure.

“Each bank account registered at BML gets USD100 per day,’’ he said. ‘’But the thing is, to get that US$100 you have to join the queue at midnight and wait till the bank opens next morning.’’

He said that is the reason why people resort to easy methods such as buying dollars on the black market.

A BML media official told Minivan News that the bank has been giving out dollars to the customers as much as possible.

“If the person has a bank account and dollars in it we will release the dollars and there will be no limit,’’ he said. ‘’It also depends on which branch of BML the person is going to.’’

President Abdulla Yameen in his inauguration speech has warned the Maldivian economy is in “a deep pit” and has pledged to reduce state expenditure.

Meanwhile, the MMA has printed over MVR 1 billion (US$ 64,516,129) in the past year alone, MMA statistics show.

Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Dr Fazeel Najeeb  in August warned that “excessive” government expenditure was directly responsible for the pressure on the rufiyaa.

Speaking during a function to celebrate the third anniversary of the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), Dr Najeeb said: “The value of rufiyaa is dropping because government accounts do not have the money, because it is a necessity to print large quantities of money.”

Najeeb said that a long-term economic stability plan would be needed in the country as part of attempts to increase foreign investment, reduce inflation, and curb printing of the Maldivian rufiyaa in order to calm an increase in prices.

“The plan shall include new foreign investments, aim to reduce inflation, decrease the printing of money and cease it altogether. This will decrease the pressure on the rufiyaa”.

The state budget for 2014 remains stalled in the People’s Majlis with Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad as yet failing to submit revisions.

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53 year-old man stabbed in Hoarafushi

A group of men last night stabbed a 53 year-old man on the island of Hoarafushi in Haa Alifu Atoll.

Police said that the incident occurred last night at about 3:30am, while the old man was on his way to go fishing.

According to the police he was stabbed twice in his back and is currently being treated at Dhidhoo Hospital in Haa Alifu Atoll.

The police said that the assailants were covering their faces using masks and they fled after the attack. However, police have brought in three suspects.

The three men aged 21, 22 and 27 were arrested at about 4:15am this morning, according to police.

Police said Hoarafushi Police Station is investigating the case.

Local media identified the old man as Abdul Baary of Finihiyaage in Hoarafushi, Haa Alifu Atoll.

In September 2010, Hussein Mohamed Manik, 61, a prominent businessman and seller of oil and hardware products was found dead inside an abandoned house on Hoarafushi in Haa Alifu Atoll.

Local media at the time reported that Manik’s hands were tied behind his back with rope, and that the body was lying on the ground in a prone position when discovered.

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40 Somali castaways sent back home after four years

Police have said that 40 Somali castaways that were found in the Maldivian EEZ on different occasions since December 2009 have been sent back to their country.

The police said that all these people were accommodated in Dhoonidhoo Police Custodial remand centre under police charge during their time in the Maldives.

Police said that the Somalis were successfully sent back after cooperation between the government and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

A joint operation was conducted with police Serious and Organized Crime Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Aviation Security to send them back, police said.

According to police, the Somalis were sent in a chartered flight and were accompanied with security officers.

The police said that the 40 Somalis included seven castaways rescued on December 2009, another five castaways rescued in the same month.

In 2010, authorities rescued seven Somali nationals on May 26, six were rescued on June 5, two on July 2, seven on November 28. Three more were rescued on 30 November 2010 and another three castaways rescued on December 2011.

In March 2012, a then-senior government official told Minivan News that the castaways under the custody of Maldivian authorities had refused to return home despite arrangements that were made for their safe repatriation.

According to the government official, who spoke to Minivan News on condition of total anonymity, the government had devoted “immeasurable amount of time and effort” over the past three years to safely repatriate several Somali nationals who have been discovered in Maldivian waters in dinghies lost at sea.

A delegation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) delegation arrived in the Maldives in 2012 to confirm the Somali’s preferences as no refugee can be repatriated without consent under the international conventions.

The Maldives cannot resort to the option of forced repatriation as Somalia is recognised as an unsafe state.

Maldives has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol citing “financial and technical capacity constraints” but the convention prohibits all states, regardless of whether they have acceded it, from returning a “refugee to a territory where his or her life or freedom is threatened”.

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State to appoint lawyer for Filipino woman charged with smuggling three kilos of cocaine

The Criminal Court has asked the state to appoint a defence lawyer for a Filipino woman arrested in Male airport after attempting to smuggle three kilograms of cocaine into the country, as she was not able to afford one.

According to local media present at the court today, the woman asked the court what would happen if a lawyer was not appointed and the Judge told her that the court was now working with the Attorney General (AG)’s office to appoint a lawyer.

The judge also said the court found it difficult to conduct such serious cases without the respondent having a defence lawyer.

The woman told the court that she would keep trying to make her family appoint her a lawyer.

On September 17 customs reported that its officers at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport had seized 3368 grams of drugs inside the suitcase of the 33 year-old woman.

The customs department said the woman came to Maldives from Rio de Janeiro after transiting in Dubai.

At the time customs said the case was also being investigated by Dubai police and relevant authorities, concerning the case’s possible connections to drug lords around the world.

The customs also said that the street value of the drugs would be over US$400,000.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Criminal Court spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Manik said the court had given the woman the opportunity to appoint a lawyer previously, but she had not.

According to Manik this was the second chance the court had given her the chance to appoint a lawyer.

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Heirs of slain MP want execution if court finds suspect guilty

Criminal Court Spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Manik has today confirmed that all heirs of late MP Dr Afrasheem Ali wished to execute Hussain Humam of Henveiru Hicost, if the court found him guilty of murdering Dr Afrasheem.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Dr Afrasheem Ali was stabbed to death on the night of October 1, 2012, on the staircase of his home.

Manik said that the court took the statements from Dr Arasheem’s heirs today.

He said that today’s scheduled hearing, during which Humam was to deliver his last words and closing statement before the judge concludes the case but, was cancelled as his defence lawyer Hassan Hisan is ill.

”Its the third hearing that had to be cancelled because his lawyer is ill,” he said. ”Today the court asked Humam to inform his lawyer that there will be another hearing scheduled next week and it will be last opportunity for Humam to present his closing statement and say his last words.”

Manik said the court will proceed with the case without his last words even if his defence lawyer is unable to attend to the next hearing.

After taking the closing statement and last words the court will deliver a verdict unless there is anything else to clarify.

State prosecutors have previously accused Humam of going to the residence of Dr Afrasheem and murdering him with a machete and a bayonet knife.

Humam had initially denied charges against him. He later confessed to the crime at a hearing held in May, according to a statement read in the court by prosecutors .

The statement was said to have been given by Humam at one of the initial hearings. It claimed that son-in-law of ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, Abdulla ‘Jaa’ Javid, had offered to pay him MVR 4million for the murder of MP Afrasheem. At a subsequent hearing in June, however, Humam retracted his confession, claiming that he had been coerced by police.

Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz previously alleged that the murder of Dr Afrasheem was a well planned murder worth MVR 4million (US$260,000).

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