Author: Ahmed Nazeer

Raajje TV service terminated after intruders break in, cut control room cables

Private broadcaster Raajje TV had its service terminated across the Maldives after intruders broke into the station and cut critical cables in the control room early this morning.

Deputy CEO of Raajje TV Abdulla Yamin told Minivan News that the cables had were vandalised some time between 7:00am and 8:00am.

“We suspect that the attack was by a person who knows this place and the functioning of Raajje TV very well,” Yamin said. “It has caused us millions of rufiya in damage because we have lost our reputation in front of our sponsors.”

Yamin said that the cables will cost more than Rf 100,000 (US$6666) to replace, and that it will take two days before the station can resume broadcasting.

“They shut down the electricity for the whole building which caused our electric lock systems to fail,” he said. “We suspect that either the culprit knows this place very well, or that this was done with the cooperation from a person who knew the place very well.’’

Yamin said the case was reported to police this morning.

‘’Police officers came over today but we have not heard from them since,’’ he added.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation has condemned the attack on Raajje TV and has said that the intention of the attack was to obstruct the freedom of speech and journalism.

The Commission called on police to conduct an investigation into the case at a fast speed, and also called on police to withdraw an earlier decision to stop cooperating with Raajje TV.

On July 24, the police announced they would stop cooperating with Raajje TV, claiming that the opposition-aligned TV station was broadcasting false and slanderous content about the police which had undermined their credibility and public confidence.

The decision came just a day after Raajje TV broadcasted CCTV video footage of some police officers, who the station alleged were “caught on video” while they were stealing petrol from a motorbike parked in a small road in Male’.

Raajje TV also recently aired footage of police pepper-spraying former President Mohamed Nasheed during a protest rally, an act which attracted widespread criticism from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and international groups.

Police in a statement had denied pepper-spraying the former President, and urged the MDP “to publish statements responsibly.”

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Parole board pardons former MP Abdul Hameed

Former independent MP for Kaashidhoo, MP Abdul Hameed, has been granted clemency by the parole board, local media reports.

State Home Minister Mohamed Fayaz was reported as stating that MP Hameed had implemented one third of his sentence before he requested the parole board grant him clemency.

The Criminal Court last year sentenced Ismail Abdul Hameed to one year and six months banishment after he was found guilty of corruption.

The Prosecutor General pressed corruption charges against Hameed alleging that he had abused his authority as the former Director of Waste Management at the Male’ municipality to financially benefit a Singaporean company, named Island Logistics, in a deal to purchase a barge.

According to local media reports, Judge Abdulla Didi noted in the verdict at the time that the agreement stipulated that the barge was to be delivered within 90 days of signing the agreement, upon which 50 percent of the value was to be paid to Island Logistics.

Although the barge arrived in the Maldives on October 23, 2008, Hameed had however signed a document claiming that the barge was delivered on schedule on April 28, 2008.

The judge ruled that Hameed’s actions were intentional and in violation of the Anti-Corruption Act.

The case was appealed at the High Court and the Supreme Court, however the superior courts upheld the Criminal Court’s decision.

Until today the government had been telling the local media that Hameed was held under house arrest because an island for his banishment had not yet been determined.

The State Home Minister has said that his verdict was implemented by placing him under house arrest, as that was how banishment had been implemented lately because island councils had refused to accpet banished people.

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PG appeals MP Adil’s sex abuse case at the High Court

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) has appealed MP Hassan Adil’s sexual abuse case at the High Court, after the Criminal Court ruled that the state had failed to present sufficient evidence as per the requirement of Article 47 of the use of Child Sex Abuse (Special Provision)’s Act.

PG officials confirmed to local media that Adil’s case had been submitted to the High Court and the High Court had accepted it.

Police arrested Adil on 4th April 2011 with a court warrant, and on the next day extended his detention period for 15 days. He was later transferred to house arrest.

On June 12 last year the court granted the Prosecutor General (PG)’s permission to hold Adil in house arrest until the trial reached a conclusion.

If the court finds Adil guilty, he would face imprisonment for a period of between 10 to 14 years and would lose his seat in parliament.

Under article 73(c)(3) of the constitution, MPs found guilty of a criminal offence “and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months” would be stripped of their seat.

Police at the time alleged that Adil had sexually abused a 13 year-old girl belonging to a family with whom he was close friends. The family of the victim had raised concerns over the delays in filing the case in court by the Prosecutor General.

MP Hassan Adil was originally elected to the parliament under the ticket of Dr Hassan Saeed’s Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), however he switched allegiance and defected to then ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Following the change of power on February 7, he left the MDP and joined the pro-government Jumhoree Party (JP).

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State appeals Hulhumale’ Court’s decision to reject Nasheed case

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) has appealed in the High Court a decision by the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court that it did not have jurisdiction to proceed a case presented to the court against former President Mohamed Nasheed, and former Defense Minister Tholhath Ibrahim and three senior officers of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

The case was submitted by the PG accusing Nasheed, Tholhath and the MNDF officers of violating article 81 of the Penal Code by detaining Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed, and “unlawfully arresting a person who hasn’t committed a crime”.

The Nasheed administration had accused the judge of political bias, obstructing police, stalling cases, links with organised crime and “taking the entire criminal justice system in his fist” to protect key figures of the former dictatorship from human rights violations and corruption cases.

Elements of the police and military subsequently mutinied on February 7, alleging that Nasheed’s orders to arrest the judge were unlawful.

Nasheed publicly resigned the same day, but later said he was forced to do so “under duress” in a coup d’état. Judge Abdulla was released on the evening of February 7, and the Criminal Court swiftly issued a warrant for Nasheed’s arrest. Police did not act on the warrant, after international concern quickly mounted.

As well as Nasheed, the Prosecutor General has also pressed the same charges against former Chief of Defense Forces Moosa Ali Jaleel, Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi and Colonel Mohamed Ziyad for their role in detaining the judge.

The Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court rejected cases forwarded by the Prosecutor General on July 18 after studying the case and learning that the case was beyond the jurisdictions of the magistrate courts. The PG had forwarded the case to Hulhumale’ because of concerns over a conflict of interest that would exist if it was sent to the criminal court.

‘’We studied the case and we found that we do not have the jurisdiction to deal with the case according to article 66 of the Judicature Act,’’ Hulhumale’ Court Chief Magistrate Moosa Naseem told Minivan News at the time.

Naseem said that the Hulhumale’-based court can only accept the case after the Chief Justice issues a decree in agreement with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Judicial Council as stated in the article 66[b] of the Judicature Act.

Article 66[b] of the Judicature Act states that “In accordance with Section (a) of this Article, if additions or omission to the jurisdictions stipulated in schedule 5 of this Act has to be carried out, the modification has to be done in agreement with the Judicial Service Commission and the Judicial Council and by a decree issued by the Chief Justice.’’

The Chief Judge was detained by the military, after he had opened the court outside normal hours to order the immediate release of former Justice Minister and current Home Minister and deputy leader of the Dhivehi Quamee Party (DQP), Dr Mohamed Jameel.

On July 25, Deputy Prosecutor General (PG) Hussein Shameem said that Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court does have the jurisdiction to hear the case of former President Mohamed Nasheed over his role in the detention of a Criminal Court Chief Judge.

Shameem contended that should the court maintain its decision against hearing the case, there were few other judicial alternatives in trying to ensure a “fair trial”.

The Civil Court meanwhile recently dismissed a decision by its own watchdog body, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), to take action against Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdullah Mohamed for violating the Judge’s Code of Conduct.

The Civil Court overruled the JSC stating that Judge Abdulla was not given an opportunity to respond to the allegations during the investigation.

According to the decision, providing a chance to submit any complaints after the investigation was completed could not be deemed as an opportunity for the judge to present his defence.

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Police arrest 60 year-old man for stabbing his 30 year-old wife

Police have arrested a 60 year-old man for stabbing his 30 year-old wife on the island of Milandhoo in Shaviyani Atoll.

Shavayani Atoll Milandhoo Health Centre Head Ahmed Shahid today told Minivan News that the woman was brought to the Health Centre at about 11:00am this morning.

According to Shahid the woman was stabbed once and did not suffer major injuries.

“She was discharged from the Health Centre today after being treated for the stab wound,” Shahid said.

“I think the attack came after they had some family issues,” he said, adding that islanders had “always suspected that the man was a drug addict.”

In a statement issued today, police said that the 60 year-old suspect has been held in police custody, and confirmed that he had a previous record of drug abuse.

The Chair of Shaviyani Milandhoo Island Council did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Police have not revealed the identity of the man arrested or the victim.

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Police send CSC Fahmy’s sexual harassment case to Prosecutor General

Police have concluded their investigation into the alleged sexual harassment of Civil Service Commission (CSC) head Mohamed Fahmy, and have forwarded the case to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that the case was forwarded to the Prosecutor General yesterday afternoon, after closing the investigation into the case.

Haneef said the police requested the PG press charges against Fahmy.

In June, Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee launched an investigation into alleged harassment of a female staff member by the CSC Chair after a senior research officer at the CSC accused him of sexually harassing her.

Both Fahmy and the victim were summoned to committee after the complaint was lodged in the first week of June.

Fahmy was alleged to have called the female staff member over to him, taken her hand and asked her to stand in front of him so that others in the office could not see, and caressed her stomach saying ”it won’t do for a beautiful single woman like you to get fat.”

According to local media, the woman told her family about the incident, who then called Fahmy. Fahmy then sent her a text message apologising for the incident, reportedly stating, ”I work very closely with everyone. But I have learned my lesson this time.”

Speaking to Minvian News at the time, Fahmy said the allegation was false “and a blatant lie.”

“The female staff member concerned did not win a scholarship to Singapore, and that is why she is doing this in return,” Fahmy said.

The Independent Institutions Oversight Committee of the parliament concluded an investigation into the case and found Fahmy guilty, and asked him to resign within 14 days.

However Fahmy decided not to resign and the committee opted to forward the case to the parliament floor.

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Two Pakistani nationals fined MVR 100,000, sentenced to life for drug trafficking

The Criminal Court today sentenced two Pakistani nationals to 25 years prison and fined the pair MVR 100,000 (US$6666) each.

The pair were given a month to pay their fines.

The court identified the two Pakistanis as Ishfaq and Imthiyaz Khan.

The Criminal Court ruling said that on February 12 of this year the pair arrived in the Maldives around 12:51am early morning on Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL107.

Imthiyaz and Ishfaq both confessed that they had swallowed a large amount of illegal drugs in bullet-sized packets. When the drugs found inside their body was tested it was showed to be containing Diamorphine, a substance found in heroin is banned under section 1 of the Drug Act.

The court determined that both men had violated the Maldives Drug Act and sentenced them accordingly.

Last Wednesday, the Criminal Court sentenced Ali Ugail of Hulhudhoo in Addu City after the court found him guilty of trafficking illegal drugs into the Maldives.

The court said Ugail arrived to the Maldives on March 29 on Air India Flight number AI263 carrying 76 bullet-sized packets containing Diamorphine.

Ugail confessed to the crime in court and was also sentenced  to 25 years and a fine of MVR 100,000.

Police statistics issued today by the Statistics and Analysis Unit show that in the first 10 days of Ramadan, 63 drug-related cases were filed by police.

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Samah confesses to murdering policeman after drinking cologne

Mohamed Samah of Kaashidhoo today confessed in the Criminal Court to attacking Lance Corporal Adam Haleem, stating that he was under the influence of alcohol after drinking cologne.

According to local media, Samah told the court that he attacked Haleem with the intention of frightening him but not to kill him, he told the court that he wanted to repent and apologise to Haleem’s family.

Local newspaper Sun quoted Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed as saying that the court will summon the inheritors of Lance Corporal Adam Haleem to the court to see if they have any objections to passing a death sentence against Samah if he was found guilty of killing the police officer.

Local media reported Samah as admitting today that he had sniffed Dunlop glue and drunk cologne to get high.

On July 23 Lance Corporal Adam Haleem was stabbed to death on Kaashidhoo island in Kaafu Atoll.

In a statement issued earlier, police said the suspect in the case had confessed to attacking Haleem with a knife, and had told the police how the incident occurred.

The statement said that Haleem was attacked that night while he was on his way to the Kaashidhoo Police Station to report to duty.

While he was on the way to the police station he saw Mohamed Samah on the road, who was supposed to be under house arrest. Haleem followed Samah to his house and asked him to get himself ready to come with him to the police station.

Samah refused to go to the police station and became angry. He entered his house and took an eight inch knife from the kitchen, which he used to stab Haleem in the left side of his chest, according to the statement.

Before Haleem was attacked, he called the police station and informed officers on duty about Samah, and asked them to attend the scene. However by the time the other police officers attended the area Samah had stabbed Haleem and his body was lying on the ground.

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Criminal Court releases murder suspect with curfew

The Criminal Court has ordered the release of 19 year-old Razzan Abdul Rahman, a suspect in Ali Shifan’s murder case, on the condition that he not go outside his house between the hours of 8:00pm and 6:00am.

His conditions also included that he not associate with groups of people, or leave Male’ without the authorisation of the court.

Media Coordinator of the Criminal Court Ahmed Mohamed Manik confirmed the verdict to local media.

According to local media outlets, the Prosecutor General’s Office has appealed the Criminal Court order at the High Court, and today a hearing was held in to the case at the court.

On April 1, a group of men stabbed Ali Shifan ‘Tholhi Palay’, 33 of Fairy Corner house in Maafannu ward, to death near West Park restaurant at about 4:15pm that day while he was on Boduthakurufaanu Magu, the outer ring road of Male’.

The victim was taken to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) minutes after the attack, however the hospital pronounced him dead on arrival.

A friend of Shifan told Minivan News at the time that Shifan was having a coffee inside West Park and was attacked while he was waiting in front of the restaurant for a friend.

The source said that Shifan was married and the attack had widowed his wife.

The police sent the names of Ali Nabeeh,22, of M.Nalahiyaa Manzil, Mohamed Shaifan,18,  Razzan Abdu Rahman,19, of Kaanimaage house in Thulhaadhoo island of Baa atoll,  Abdul Thilmeez,20, of M.Thilmeez,  Mohamed Asif,19, of Maafahi house inKurendhoo island of Lhaviyani atoll and Mohamed Mishaan Abdul Haadhy,20, of M.Silver Nest to the Prosecutor General to press charges against them for their suspected involvement in the murder.

In February 2011 Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed also released Ibrahim Shahum Adam, a key suspect in a murder case, on the grounds that the court had not received the required cooperation from the Health Ministry.

Shahum was arrested the following month in connection with another murder case.

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