Author: Ahmed Nazeer

Two expatriates arrested in connection to murder of Bangladesh national

Police have arrested two Bangladeshi nationals in connection with the murder of a fellow expatriate whose body found was found in a building on Chandhanee Magu in Male’ last month.

During a press conference held today, Chief Inspector of Police Mohamed Dhaudh told local media that a Bangladeshi national identified as Moneerul Islam was believed to have been killed by 23-year-old Kamarul Islam, a close personal friend of the deceased who was said to have confessed to the murder.

A 34 year-old relation of the deceased, identified only as Abdulla, has also been arrested in connection to the murder.

Speaking to local media about the investigation, Chief Inspector Dhaudh said that the dead body of Moneerul Islam was discovered last month in the capital with stab wounds to the neck, chest and face.

Authorities told reporters that Moneerul Islam was last seen alive in the company of Kamarul Islam.

According to local media, a police investigation team was also reported to have obtained CCTV footage of the area where the body was discovered that appeared to show Kamarul Islam walking away from the crime scene following the murder.

Dhaudh said that Kamarul has now confessed to the murder and has told police the reason why he had killed Moneerul Islam after allegedly being asked to commit the crime by Abdulla.  Kamarul was arrested arrested while at his previous workplace at Dhangethi in Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, police added.

Police have said that Kamarul had confessed to having thrown the weapon he used to kill Moneerul Islam, as well as the clothes he was wearing at the time, into the sea near the T-Jetty area of Male.

Police said that a diving squad has since retrieved the weapon and the clothes.

Local media reported that police had confirmed during their investigations that there were a number of family and money issues between Muneerul Islam and Abdulla, who have been living in the Maldives since 2006.

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Police arrest nine in Male’ during 24-hour special operation

The Maldives Police Service has said nine individuals were arrested during a recent 24 hour special operation conducted to try and curb crime rates in Male’.

In a statement, police said that the special operation, designed to try and make the capital more peaceful, was conducted between December 15 to December 16 – leading to the arrest of the nine men for a number of different offences.

Authorities have said that 359 persons were questioned in the capital during the operation, while 13 body searches were conducted over the 24 hour period.

Police reported that one case of theft, one case of robbery, three road accidents, one drug related crime and other seven cases were reported while the operation was going on.

Another key focus of the special operation was said to involve ensuring vehicles were being operated according to local regulations, law enforcement officials have said.

According to police, vehicle check points were therefore established at different areas of Male’ during the operation. 383 vehicles were checked during the operation.

Police stated that officers have also questioned individuals and groups deemed to be roaming around the capital without any purpose during the operation, which was conducted between Male’ City Police, Specialist Operations [SO] and Traffic Police.

Police powers

On December 4, during a press conference to give details of the investigation in to the death of late MP and Religious Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali, Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz called on parliament members to not hesitate in giving more powers to the police. Riyaz said at the time that such powers were required to curb growing criminal activities within Maldivian society.

“I know that members of the parliament are hesitant to grant more powers to the police because of the political views they hold. But we need stricter laws to stop such acts from happening. Hesitance to grant more powers isn’t a solution for police discrepancies. Powers should be granted and at the same time they can establish a proper accountability mechanism,” he said at the time.

The commissioner said that police would have “zero tolerance” towards criminals and would utilise all powers and resources at hand in preventing crimes.

“That means, we will not allow a drunkard to freely wander around the street. Police officers will question suspicious people on the road and they have been given the order to stop and search anyone who they feel is suspected of being a criminal or carrying out a crime,” he said.

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MDP forwards no-confidence motion against Home Minister

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has forwarded a no-confidence motion against Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel, for the second time.

This is the second time the MDP has submitted a no-confidence motion against the Home Minister. The last time the motion was submitted the MDP withdrew the motion for unexplained reasons.

A statement issued by the MDP today accused the Home Minister of failing to control civil peace and order in the country, which it said had led to the loss of eight lives.

The MDP further referred to an incident in which a man on a motorcycle was killed after a police officer struck a second motorcyclist with his baton, causing him to collide with the first.

Police at the time did not reveal the involvement of the police officer in the death of the bystander. Video footage of the incident was subsequently leaked to the media.

The MDP alleged that Home Minister Jameel had tried to cover up police involvement in the death.

The no-confidence motion was signed by 17 MDP MPs.

Last week the parliament tabled a no-confidence motion filed against Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim,despite a Supreme Court injunction ordering parliament to halt all pending no-confidence votes.

The People’s Majlis secretariat revealed that Defence Minister Nazim has been given the required 14-day notice and his ministry also duly informed by Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

A no-confidence motion against the President is also in the parliament awaiting scheduling.

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High Court supports lower court’s decision to extend detention of Abdulla Javid

The High Court has upheld a  Criminal Court order to extend the detention of Abdulla Javid, the son-in-law of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson and MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik.

The High Court’s ruling stated that Javid was arrested in connection with the murder of late MP and Religious Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali, and that at police had a phone call recording as evidence to support their accusation against Javid.

The case was filed at the High Court by Javid claiming that the Criminal Court’s extension of detention order was unlawful, however,the High Court ruled that there was no reasonable ground so support this.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that police policy when providing information about Dr Afrasheem’s death was to keep all information until the next press briefing.

Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz has claimed that the murder of MP for Ungoofaaru constituency Dr Afrasheem Ali was a well-planned murder and insisted it was politically motivated.

The Commissioner alleged that the assassins were offered MVR 4 million (US$260,000).

He said that 200 items were collected as forensic and digital evidence.

“Over 500 hours of CCTV footage have been analysed, more than 100 people have been interviewed and about 13,000 phone call recordings have been analysed out of which 12,000 were from one single tower,” Riyaz said.

Afrasheem was killed on October 1. His wife discovered the body lying on the staircase of their home.

Dr Afrasheem was elected to parliament in 2009 as a member of the then-opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP). Following the opposition’s split, Afrasheem sided with the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and faded into the political background.

Widely considered an Islamic moderate, Dr Afrasheem took outspoken and controversial positions on issues such as the permissibility of playing music, and praying next to the deceased.

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Juvenile Court acquits two suspects arrested over Ahusan Basheer murder

The Juvenile Court has today ruled that two minors charged in connection with the murder of 21-year-old Ahusan Basheer are innocent, claiming the state had failed to produce enough evidence to prove their guilt.

A Juvenile Court Spokesperson today told Minivan News that the state produced five witnesses to the court against the accused.

‘’The five of them said they were not sure if the two minors accused were there at the scene of the incident,’’ the spokesperson said.  According to the Juvenile Court, the two minors presented were identified as a male and a female, though further identification could not be given for legal reasons.

‘’The state attorney told the Juvenile Court that the statement made by the witnesses conflicted with the statement they had previously gave to the police,’’ the Juvenile Court spokesperson said.  The court added that no other forensic or digital evidence had been produced by the prosecution.

Ahusan Basheer was stabbed to death on March 17 near his house. Police at the time identified Ibrahim Shahum and Ibrahim Shimaz as the main suspects in its investigation.

Their cases are proceeding in the Criminal Court, which has yet to reach a verdict.

Other attacks

Prior to the attack on Basheer, another 21-year-old male called Abdul Muheeth was also killed in Male’ after being stabbed on February 19.

In addition to these murders, a 16-year-old boy named Mohamed Arham was also found dead with multiple stab wounds on May 30, while controversial blogger and journalist Hilath Rasheed made a miraculous recovery from an attack in which his throat was slit by as yet unidentified assailants.

This year alone, several more victims – including expatriates – have been brutally injured or killed in what are suspected to have been gang-related attacks.

The spate of stabbings and murders have provoked pressures from the public to impose stricter punishments to the perpetrators. Families of the victims have both in court and through public platforms called for justice and the death penalty to be implemented to curb the increasing gang violence.

Though the Islamic Sharia and the penal code states death penalty as a punishment, it has not been executed for decades. Death penalty sentences are traditionally changed to life imprisonment at behest of the president.

The government has meanwhile said it will not hesitate to implement death sentences if the parliament approves it.

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‘Hihvaru’ survivors arrive in Addu City

A Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) search team yesterday returned to the Maldives with the eight survivors found aboard the boat ‘Hihvaru’, which was lost and later capsized while travelling to Huvadhu Atoll from Male’.  The vessel originally departed with nine men and a child aboard.

However, authorities confirmed Tuesday (December 10) that a foreign national and a 76 year-old male from Rathafandhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll had died before they could be located by the rescue team.

According to the MNDF, the eight survivors were brought to Addu City and immediately admitted to Hithadhoo Regional Hospital for treatment after arriving yesterday (December 11) at 8:00pm.

The right survivors were said by the MNDF to be in good health upon their arrival in Addu City, with no one critically injured.

Robbery allegations

Local newspaper Sun Online today reported allegations made by the captain of the ‘Hihvaru’ boat that he and his passengers had been robbed of money by the crew of the Sri lankan vessel who first discovered them.

The crew of the Sri Lankan fishing boat were accused of robbing US$120 from the passengers on ‘Hihvaru’, according to ‘Sun’.

According to the MNDF website, the ‘Hihvaru’ set sail from Male’ on November 28 at 7:00pm, heading towards Huvadhu Atoll with 10 passengers aboard, including an 11 year-old boy. The boat was also loaded with goods to be taken to Huvadhu Atoll.  The defence force has confirmed that two of the 10 passengers were Bangladeshi nationals.

The coastguard had begun searching for the vessel with assistance from the Indian government on November 29 after the boat was first declared missing.

The MNDF has said in a statement that a Sri Lankan boat had discovered the eight men hanging from the capsized vessel 290 miles off the island of Dhaandhoo in Gaa Alifu Atoll.

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Police send names of two suspects in Afrasheem murder case to PG’s Office

The Maldives Police Service has this week sent the case of two suspects arrested over the murder of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP and Religious Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali to the Prosecutor General’s (PG’s) Office.

According to Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz’s twitter feed, files on the two suspects were sent to the PG’s Office yesterday.

The two suspects were later identified by the police as Hussain Humam Ahmed of Henveiru Lobby and Ali Shan of Henveiru Hicost.

Just last week, a Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officer was also reported to have been arrested in connection with the Afrasheem investigation.  However, the police and MNDF have yet to officially confirm the reports.

The Maldives Police Service has said that current policy when providing information regarding the investigation of Dr Afrasheem was to withhold all details from media until  official press conferences on the case were held.

At the last conference held on December 4, Commissioner Riyaz said that the murder of  Dr Afrasheem was well-planned, insisting the attack was politically motivated and funded.

Riyaz alleged that assassins were thought to have been offered MVR 4 million (US$260,000) for the attack.

In a presentation at the time, the police commissioner claimed that 11 suspects had been arrested in connection to the case so far – although three were later released.

He said that 200 items had been collected by police for use as forensic and digital evidence.

“Over 500 hours of CCTV footage have been analysed, more than 100 people have been interviewed and about 13,000 phone call recordings have been analysed out of which 12,000 were from one single tower,” Riyaz claimed at the time.

Afrasheem was killed on October 1. His wife discovered his body lying on the staircase of their home.

Dr Afrasheem was elected to parliament in 2009 as a member of the then-opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP). Following a split within the former opposition party, Afrasheem sided with the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), which was established by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Widely considered in the country an Islamic moderate, Dr Afrasheem took outspoken and controversial positions on issues such as the permissibility of playing music, and praying next to the deceased.

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MNDF retrieves eight survivors of capsized ‘Hihvaru’ boat, confirms two dead

The Maldives coastguard has this evening located a Sri Lankan vessel that picked up eight survivors lost at sea in Maldivian waters after their boat had capsized.  Authorities have also confirmed that two other passengers travelling on the capsized ship have died.

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem confirmed to Minivan News this evening that eight survivors who had been on the capsized boat, known as ‘Hihvaru’, were found safely aboard a Sri Lankan fishing vessel located 370 miles off Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll.

According to a statement on the MNDF’s website, one of the passengers confirmed to have died is a Maldivian national identified as Hassan Futha, a 76 year-old male from Rathafandhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll.

The MNDF has not identified the name of the other passenger, confirming only that the deceased was an expatriate and that eight other missing people from the ‘Hihvaru’ have been found and rescued by the Sri Lankan fishing boat.

According to the MNDF website, the ‘Hihvaru’ set sail from Male’ on November 28 at 7:00pm and was heading towards Huvadhu Atoll with 10 passengers aboard, including an 11 year-old boy. The boat was also loaded with goods to be taken to Huvadhu Atoll.

The MNDF said that two of the 10 passengers aboard were Bangladeshi nationals.  The coastguard had begun searching for the vessel on November 29 after it was first declared missing and was assisted by the Indian government.

Authorities confirmed in a statement yesterday that the Sri Lankan fishing boat had discovered the eight men hanging from the capsized boat 290 miles off the island of Dhaandhoo in Gaa Alifu Atoll.

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Sri Lankan fishing vessel rescues eight people from missing ‘Hihvaru’

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has said that eight missing people from the ‘Hihvaru’ vessel have been found and rescued by a Sri Lankan fishing boat.

According to the MNDF website, the ‘Hihvaru’ set sail from Male’ on November 28 at 7:00pm heading towards Huvadhu Atoll with 10 passengers aboard, including an 11 year-old boy. The boat was also loaded with goods to be taken to Huvadhu Atoll.

The MNDF said that two of the 10 passengers were Bangladeshi nationals.

The MNDF began searching for the vessel on November 29 after it was declared missing, with MNDF assistance from the Indian government.

Today the MNDF has said in a statement that the Sri Lankan boat discovered the eight men hanging from the capsised boat 290 miles off the island of Dhaandhoo in Gaa Alifu Atoll.

Local media reported that the Sri Lankan navy has informed the Maldives High Commission that the eight were rescued by the fishing vessel.

The MNDF has a live blog providing information about the incident, however has said that details will be provided at a later date.

Online newspaper ‘Sun’ today quoted a Sri Lankan navy commander as saying that the eight people rescued included three Bangladeshi men and five Maldivians.

The paper identified the Maldivians rescued as Abdulla Nasru, Mohamed Shaheem, Ali Ameez, Hassan Haleel and Shiyam Hameedh.

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