Author: Ahmed Nazeer

ACC requests former Home Minister be charged over prisoner transferred from Sri Lanka

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sent a case to the Prosecutor General to charge former Acting Home Minister Ameen Faisal for his role in setting free a Maldivian man sentenced to life by a Sri Lankan court for drug smuggling.

The ACC in a statement said that a man – identified as Ibrahim Adam Manik of Gomashige in Mahchangolhi, Male’, son of Male’ City Councillor ‘Sarangu’ Adam Manik – was sentenced to life by the High Court of Sri Lanka in Negombo and brought to Male’ on March 29, 2009.

According to the ACC, the Sri Lankan  Ministry of Justice and Law Reform agreed to send him back after the Maldivian Home Ministry gave assurances that his sentence would be implemented in a Maldivian prison.

The ACC said that their investigation had found out the letter from Maldivian Home Ministry was sent by the then Acting Home Minister Ameen Faisal – a senior member of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) who had filled a number of senior government portfolios.

In the letter, Faisal had agreed that the Maldivian Home Ministry would take responsibility for implementing Ibrahim Adam Manik’s sentence.

The ACC said that the prisoner was brought to the Maldives before asking for legal advice from the then-Attorney General, and that the then-Acting Home Minister had not clarified whether there was a legal procedure whereby Maldivian prisoners  abroad could be transferred to the Maldives to complete their sentence.

On February 12, 2008, the Maldives and Sri Lanka signed an agreement to transfer prisoners, although the two countries have not exchanged documents regarding the implementation of the agreement and have no legal procedure on how to transfer the prisoners, the ACC said.

Moreover, the ACC said that Ibrahim Adam Manik was brought to the Maldives a few days after the Sri Lankan High Court had sentenced him to life whilst there were many other Maldivians serving life sentences at foreign prisons.

The ACC concluded that this action in the case constituted abuse of public power for private benefit, which is considered a crime under the Anti-Corruption Act’s article 12(a).

When contacted for a comment regarding the matter, Faisal told Minivan News he said he was busy and asked to be contacted later. He was not responding to further calls at the time of press.

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Unknown pills discovered inside Majlis coffee machine

MPs have today revealed the discovery of an unknown type of pill in a coffee machine inside the parliament.

At about 11:23pm Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party MP Rozeyna Adam tweeted pictures of the pills, statng that MPs’ lives were at risk.

According to Rozeyna, after a few minutes a police forensic team went to the parliament to investigate the case, although she went on to question whether opposition MPs could trust them.

Maldivian Democratic Party MP Eva Abdulla wrote on her twitter page that the lady working at the parliament had noticed the coffee inside the machine was discolored. When she threw it away she found the pills in the drainage.

The parliament secretariat has issued a statement confirming the allegations.

The parliament said that police and Maldives National Defence Force are investigating the case.

Speaking at parliament today, Eva expressed concern with similar incidents occurring in the run-up to no-confidence votes against cabinet ministers and called for a prompt investigation.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union has recently written to the Speaker of the Majlis requesting an urgent visit to the Maldives in order to ensure that MPs can  work “unhindered, without fear of intimidation and harassment or attack on their physical integrity”.

Eva noted that the security cameras near the room where the coffee machine was kept has not been functional for some time despite repeated requests to fix them.

A source within the parliament today told Minivan News that the pills appear to be a laxative called Dulcotax.

The incident occurred while MPs were debating the no-confidence motion against Attorney General Azima Shukoor, which was eventually passed.

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Police unable to summon MP from refuge in Majlis

Additional reporting by Zaheena Rasheed

The Criminal Court cancelled this morning’s hearing into the case of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor who is being charged with refusal to provide a urine sample.

The Police told the Criminal Court they are unable to summon Ghafoor as per the arrest warrant because the MP is  currently residing within the inviolable premises of the People’s Majlis.

In reply to a police request to detain Ghafoor, the Majlis Speaker Abdulla Shahid, in reference to Article 11 of the Parliamentary Privileges Act, told the police an MP cannot be summoned to court when Majlis sittings or parliamentary committee hearings are scheduled.

The speaker warned such an act is punishable by law, stating: “Any act that violates the People’s Majlis immunity, honor and functioning and committed in contravention to the [Parliamentary Powers and Privileges] Act will breach the Majlis privileges.”

He also stressed that the time at which today’s trial was scheduled is the normal time parliament sittings have started every day since May this year.

Last Thursday, the Criminal Court issued a warrant to arrest and summon Ghafoor to the court, but the MP took refuge in the parliament building on the same day. Ghafoor is also being charged with possession of alcohol. He was arrested along with MDP MP Abdulla Jabir and eight others on Hondaidhoo Island in November last year

Speaking to Minivan News on Sunday inside the Majlis courtyard, Ghafoor said the courts were on “a personalized hunt” for him, and were not following due process.

Investigations into the case had been concluded a year ago. But the trial was suddenly being fast tracked to influence the MDP’s current majority in parliament, he alleged.

The Supreme Court on Thursday stripped MDP MP Ali Azim and MDP aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Mohamed Nashiz of their seats, though the Parliamentary Privileges Committee said they do not accept the “politically motivated” ruling.

When Azim attempted to attend Saturday’s parliamentary sitting, the Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) – in absence of instruction from the Speaker – stormed the building, removing Azim from the Majlis premises and turning him over to the police. Azim is currently being detained for allegedly assaulting an MNDF officer.

The police had previously arrested Ghafoor on October 7 to produce him at court.

“I’m being hunted by a corrupt judiciary”

“I’m not dealing with a court. I’m dealing with thugs. They have got armed people to produce me in court. There are no procedures. No norms,” said Ghafoor.

Recounting his treatment on Hondaidhoo Island on November 16 2012, he said that black clad police had stormed a private island, swimming onto the island’s beaches from the ocean at 4:00 am.

“They had lights on their foreheads so we could not see their faces. They came up from behind us, handcuffed us and threw us to the ground. They pushed our faces in the sand and kicked us with their boots,” Ghafoor said.

The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) launched an investigation into police conduct on Hondaidhoo Island and found the police guilty of assault of MPs Jabir and Ghafoor.

In August this year the PG filed charges against Jabir, Ghafoor and a person identified as Jadhulla Jameel, with smuggling alcohol into the country, consuming alcohol, objecting to urine testing and possession of cannabis. Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair and his wife Mariyam Faiza were also charged for objecting to take a urine test.

According to the Drug Act, Sections 123(a), 161(a) and 161(b), any person arrested on suspicion of having abused alcohol or narcotics has an obligation to comply with police requests for routine urine examination by promptly providing urine samples, and failure to comply is a criminal offence punishable with a one-year jail sentence.

If found guilty, Ghafoor and Jabir will be disqualified from their parliamentary seats.

Ghafoor said there was no other place but the parliament building for refuge, though he said he did not feel safe even at the Majlis. The MNDF storming of the Majlis to arrest MP Azim suggests they may do the same to him, he claimed.

“I am willing to stay here until the judiciary is destroyed. Now I know how helpless ordinary citizens are. I feel like I’m being hunted by a corrupt judiciary. You don’t feel good when you are being singled out. You feel like prey. You can never relax,” he said.

He spends his days reading and doing parliamentary work. His family and supporters visit him often and bring him evening tea and dinner.

“My party has been very good to me. I am always accompanied by my party’s MPs. Since I came here, I’ve been left alone only for an hour during Friday prayers. My family and supporters bring me food. I get food enough for ten people. I know they are with me,” Ghafoor said.

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Police send summons to Raajje TV News Head and CEO

Police have sent a summons to Maldivian Democratic Party aligned private broadcasting channel Raajje TV News Department Head Ibrahim ‘Asward’ Waheed and CEO Yamin Rasheed.

The summons chit did not specify why he was being summoned but stated it was in relation to a case being investigated by the police’s Serious and Organized Crime Department.

Speaking to Minivan News today Asward said that the police have not told him or Raajje TV why he was being summoned but have told other media outlets that the matter is related to a report he made for  Raajje TV concerning the Supreme Court and some issues with the judiciary.

”I asked the officers who handed me the summon chit,” he said. ”But they said they don’t know what’s it about.”

He said he will comment on the issue after going to police tonight.

Station CEO Yamin has also been summoned to police, saying the investigation surrounded a “normal report” broadcast on October 19 concerning the independence of the court, as well as issues surrounding Justice Ali Hameed.

Hameed – currently being investigated for his alleged role in a string of sex-tapes – has borne the brunt of attacks on the court following its annulment of the first round of the presidential elections this month.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Broadcasting Commission – mandated to oversee the media – yesterday expressed concern over a warrant issued by the Supreme Court ordering that the police investigate Raajje TV regarding the report.

Yamin today said that the commission had requested that the court rescind the order. He said that the police’s investigation of the report violated the Broadcasting Act, describing it as “unfair”.

Head of the commission Mohamed Shaheeb told local media last night that there was no use of keeping the commission if someone else was doing the its duties.

He said that anything related to the media should be investigated by the commission and not by anyone else.

Previously Shaheeb said that he talked to police commissioner Abdulla Riyaz regarding the case and that Riyaz told the commission it was an order issued by the Supreme Court and that there was nothing police could do about it.

In February this year, Raajje TV News Head Asward was attacked with an iron bar while riding on a motorcycle near the  artificial beach area on Boduthakurufaanu Magu, the biggest street in Male’.

He barely survived the injuries and still is yet to fully recover.

Raajje TV’s offices were also sabotaged in 2012, with cables being cut in the station’s control room.

On October 7, five masked men entered Raajje TV station and set the place on fire burning the whole control room of the station to ashes.

The role of police on the night of the attack was criticised by both Raajje TV, who had given police notice that such an attack had been threatened, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

“We deplore the attitude of the police, who failed to do what was necessary to prevent the attack although the head of TV station requested protection a few hours before it took place,” RSF said in a statement on Monday.

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National Drug Agency warns of strong illicit drug in Male’

The National Drug Agency (NDA) has issued a statement warning people of a strong illicit drug in Male’.

The NDA said that the substance has harmful effects such as seizures, breathing difficulties and that it effects the functioning of the heart leading to death.

The NDA advised people to seek the help of a doctor as soon as possible if they come across any of the stated symptoms.

The drug agency did not mention the name of the drug nor what it looked like, but stated that their free toll 1410 will provide details of the drug.

Minivan News contacted 1410 and was forwarded to the front desk where they said there was no one at the NDA who could provide details of the drug mentioned in the statement.

However, NDA Treatment Department Head Abdulla Faseeh has told local media that drug dealers have been mixing illicit drugs with depressants without considering the quantity or the type of controlled drugs they are mixing it with.

Faseeh told newspaper Haveeru that drug dealers had mixed different types of controlled prescription drugs with illicit drugs in the black market.

In March 2009, Minivan News reported a series of deaths related to heroin laced with benzodiazepine, a class of psychoactive drugs.

The combination of benzodiazepine with opiates is known to lead to coma and even death.

The 2009 deaths included a number of users committing or attempting suicide. Earlier this week, a man was reported to have hanged himself inside an unused political party campaign office.

The area was reported to have been frequented by drug addicts living in the area after the Jumhooree Party stopped conducting political activities in the area.

In February this year the first drug survey done in the Maldives was released, showing that there were an estimated 7,500 drug users in the Maldives of which the majority were young people between the ages 15 and 24.

The survey showed that cannabis was the most popular used drug, followed by alcohol and opioids. It reported that there were about 200 intravenous drug users in Male’ and 300 in the other parts of the country who are vulnerable to the spread of blood-borne diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.

Police statistics show that drugs related offences have increased by 16.4 percent this year in comparison to last year’s figures.

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Court grants opportunity to appoint lawyers in murder of 16-year old

The Criminal Court has given the four persons charged with the murder of 16 year-old Mohamed Arham the opportunity to appoint defence lawyers after the judge decided that their current legal representative was not cooperating with the court.

According to local media present at today’s hearing the judge told the court has been facing difficulties when conducting the trial of the case because of their defence lawyer.

Arham’s body was found in May 2012 with stab wounds in his neck, back and chest with blood all over his body, the surrounding ground, and on the walls of the park.

Deputy Head of Police Serious and Organised Crime, Dhaudh Mohamed, said shortly after the attack that Arham had been killed in a revenge attack after an argument between two gangs.

Dhaudh said that the police investigation had  found out that Arham had a close relationship with the gang, who were based in the park in which he was found dead. The victim had no previous criminal record, although he used to visit the park frequently.

The four suspects charged in the case were previously identified by the court and police as Mohamed Sufyan of Gahdhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, Mohamed Visaam of Maavah in Laamu Atoll, Mansoor Yousuf of the same island, and Athif Rasheed of Mahchangolhi Scenery View.

During today’s hearing the judge asked each of them individually if they wanted to appoint a lawyer. Defendant Athif said that he would like the state to appoint him a lawyer if his family was unable to do so.

Sufyan also said that he had been trying to appoint a lawyer but had been facing difficulties due the charge being one of murder

Visam told the court that his family had not responded to his phone calls and he would like the state to appoint a lawyer for him.

Mansoor said that his family has asked him to appoint a lawyer and he would also like to request the state to appoint a lawyer for him.

The local media reported that the judge had announced the next hearing of the case was scheduled for October 31,and that those who requested the state to appoint lawyers for them would be granted the opportunity on that day.

On March 30, patrolling police officers discovered Arham, of Noree house in Haa Alif Atoll Hoarafushil, inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhirasathul Islamiyya (Islamic College).

The victim’s friends insisted that the assailants attacked him while he was sleeping inside the park that night.

On November 1, Sun Online reported that the Prosecutor General’s Office lawyers had told the judge that on May 30 between 1:00am and 6:00am Athif, Visam and Mansoor had gone to the park on motorbikes with some other people.

The lawyer told the judge that Visam, Sufyan and Mansoor had entered the park and assaulted Arham before leaving with Athif and some other people.

Arham was studying in grade nine at Dharumavantha School when he was killed.

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Five arrested for obstruction, as police clear sit down protests

Police have arrested five men for allegedly obstructing police while they were trying to open to the roads closed by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters in protest over the cancellation of presidential elections by police on Saturday.

In a statement police said they had opened all the roads that were closed by the MDP.

Police said that they had previously warned people who closed the roads to refrain from acting in a way that would disrupt transportation and people who walked on the roads.

Police noted that in some of the areas people were cooperative and removed the things they had used to block the roads after being warned.

However, police said people gathered on Majeedhee Magu in between Alikileygefaanu Magu and Chandhanee Magu did not listen to police warnings to open the roads, and that they had to forcibly open the road.

Two of the five were arrested on charges of obstructing police duty and objecting to police order, while another was arrested for hitting a police officer with a stone. Another was arrested for threatening police.

According to police, the officer who was hit by a stone was admitted to the hospital after receiving injuries to his leg. He has since been discharged.

MDP protesters started gathering on Majeedhee Magu near the Male’ City Hall building after the second attempt by the Elections Commission (EC) to hold presidential elections was obstructed by police on Saturday.

The first round of the presidential election, held on 7 September, was invalidated by the Supreme Court based on a report made by the police. The was filed submitted by the JP, with the court subsequently ordering that the first round be re-held before October 20.

With the ruling, the court also issued a guideline consisting of 19 points which the EC was obliged to comply with. The guidelines require the EC to obtain the signatures from all the candidates to ensure that they do not have any issues with the voter registration list.

While the EC was making the final preparations to hold the elections for the second time on October 19, the government aligned political parties refused to sign the voter lists as required by new Supreme Court guidelines.

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Increase in burglaries prompts police warning

Police have issued a notice of warning to all residents of Male’ to secure their houses and property when leaving to islands for Eid holidays.

33 cases of burglaries have been reported in the past 48 hours.

The normally crowded streets of Male’ are becoming less crowded as people have started going back to their islands for the upcoming Eid Al Adha as well as the presidential election, scheduled for this coming Saturday (October 19).

In the statement issued by police station Inspector Ismail Ali, he said the police are doing extra work to patrol the streets of Male’ and trying to determine suspicious activities through intelligence reports in order to stop burglaries before they occur.

”Police are doing nonstop work to attend the crime scenes as soon as possible and to find the culprits and investigate the case,” the police said. ”However, theft is an organized crime and it is very important that police receive full cooperation from the people.”

”We also note that police have been receiving cooperation from the people in this type of cases,” the police notice added.

According to police, in the cases police received over the past 48 hours there were cases concerning large amounts of money, valuable properties and mobile phones.

Police said they had noticed that in most cases the thieves were able to steal valuable properties left in the sitting room or more visible areas, and in some cases they are able to get inside after the homeowners forget to lock the doors.

”These type of cases can be prevented if people are more cautious and use preventive methods such as not leaving valuable properties visible when sleeping.

Furthermore, the police urged people to hide money, jewelries and mobile phones in a safe place and reminded shops and offices not to store money inside their premises.

The police also reminded shop owners, offices and homeowners to make sure they lock their places before leaving for anywhere.

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PG assures Election Commission it will be protected

The Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office has today assured the Elections Commission (EC) that it will do all it can to ensure the constitution is upheld after receiving a complaint regarding the behaviour of the security forces.

The PG issued a statement acknowledging receiving the EC’s complaint that the security forces had ‘hijacked’ the EC the evening before the scheduled second round of the presidential election.

In a statement the PG’s office assured the EC that it would take any action necessary to carry out its responsibilities as stated in Article 233(j) and Act Number 9/2008 15(j) to uphold the constitution, laws and rights of the people.

On September 27 when police were surrounding the EC building, commission President Fuwad Thowfeek told Minivan News “We will not be able to hold elections without support from the police. The police will stop any election preparation activity.”

Thowfeek said the EC members had been met by two officers “to get our assurance the preparation activities have been stopped.”

Special Operations (SO) police surrounded the EC secretariat with orders from Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz to take over the building and ballot papers.

The police barricade followed a Supreme Court order calling on the security forces to prevent anyone from disobeying a previous injunction to delay the second round of presidential elections.

The injunction was issued after the the Jumhooree Party (JP) filed a case at the Supreme Court alleging that there were major issues with the voter registration and requesting to cancel the first round of the presidential election and to delay the second round.

On October 8, the Supreme Court annulled the first round of the election and ordered the elections commission to hold the first round again before 20 October.

The EC has announced the re-vote will take place on October 19, leaving voters less than 24 hours to re-register due to the upcoming Eid holidays.

EC member Ogaru Ibrahim Waheed has today resigned, reports local media, though the reasons for his departure are not yet known.

On the evening in question, the police cordoned off the area around the EC and ordered journalists at the scene to leave. One EC official told Minivan News, on condition of anonymity, that staff were not being allowed to enter the building.

The PG’s office said that the case alleged security forces had obstructed the legal duties of an independent commission established under the constitution. It stated that the office was now discussing the matter with the EC.

Shortly after its acknowledgement that conditions were not appropriate for a free and fair polls, the EC filed a report with the police following multiple death threats received by its staff.

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