Day: February 28, 2010

One of ‘top six’ drug dealers found innocent by criminal court

The Criminal Court has ruled that Adam Naseer of H. Reendhooge is innocent of dealing drugs, despite being labelled by the government as one of the country’s ‘top six’ drug dealers and a police investigation lasting nearly a year.

Police searched Naseer’s home in Addu Atoll on 30 June 2009, where they found over Rf6 million (US$461,500) in cash and a tin containing drugs outside his house.

He was later arrested in early July in Addu Atoll, but “he wasn’t in prison the whole time,” explained President’s Office Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair. “On several occasions the court has delayed his imprisonment until the hearing.”

Naseer’s arrest last year was a big break for the Prosecutor General’s office and the police, who had been leading an investigation and following Naseer for months.

Naseer had also been arrested in 2007 on drug dealing counts and later on counts of bribery and giving false information to the police, but he was released due to lack of evidence.

In his verdict, Judge Abdul Baary Yousuf said there was not enough evidence to prove the money had come from dealing drugs. He added that the drugs could have been placed outside Naseer’s house by anyone and did not necessarily belong to him.

Zuhair said Naseer “is still considered to be a top drug dealer. He was caught red-handed.”

He added that although the executive and legislative branches have been reformed with the change in government, “the justice system is still going the way it was in Gayoom’s time” and “many of the judges are sympathisers of Gayoom.”

Ahmed Adam, program coordinator for Journey, an NGO with a mission to help addicts maintain their recovery and to raise public awareness on drug issues, said “these people shouldn’t be on the streets. If they’re not behind bars, what will happen?”

“The judge should ask where all this money came from,” added Adam.

Only one witness claimed the drugs belonged to Naseer. Under Shari’ah law, there needs to be at least two witnesses to prove a person guilty, annulling the witness’s testimony.

Deputy Prosecutor General Hussein Shameen said “he should not released, but… the court has acquitted him.”

Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizzu said he had no comment on Naseer’s release, but added that his office would “appeal [the case] to the High Court.”

Two of the ‘top six’ have now fled the country. police are still investigating the remaining three suspects.

President Nasheed has previously said that while the government knows the identities of the top six drug dealers, their arrests would appear politically motivated as they included political opponents.

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Four foreigners arrested loading 240 bottles of alcohol into Lily van

Four foreigners carrying 240 bottles of alcohol were captured by police on Friday night near the T-Jetty area in Malé.

They were caught loading nine cases of alcohol into a van registered to Lily Enterprises.

The van and the alcohol are now under police custody and the foreigners are under arrest.

Police would not give any details as the case is still under investigation.

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Tourist dies while snorkelling at Embudhu Village Resort

A 69 year old German tourist died yesterday while snorkelling at Embudhu Village Resort in Kaafu Atoll, eight kilometres from Male’.

Police confirmed the case was reported at 4:45pm yesterday.

A senior staff member at Embudu village told Minivan News the man went snorkeling with his friend yesterday.

”His friend noticed that he had been floating in the water without movement for a while and went to help him,” the staff member said.

”When he shook him he did not move, so he knew that something was wrong. The sea was clam and there was low tide that time.”

He said the dead man’s friend shouted at a speed boat entering the resort and the man was recovered from the water.

”He was immediately taken Male’ to confirm his death.”

The man arrived at the resort on holiday with his wife on the 23 February and was supposed to have left on 9 February, the staff member said. The man’s son will arrive at the resort tomorrow.

Police seargant Abdul Muhsin said a forensic team were investigating the man’s body but had found no external injuries. ”He has been taken to mortuary now” he said.

Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) confirmed the death yesterday.

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Thirteen year old abused by father in Shaviyani Atoll

Police and the Ministry of Health and Family are investigating a man who allegedly sexually abused his 13 year old daughter on the island of Fokaidhu in Shaviyani Atoll, after luring her to a room with Milo packets.

An official from the island office said the case was reported to the island office on Thursday morning at 11:00pm. He said the man was summoned to the island office by police but was released after questioning.

The official claimed that the case came to the attention of authorities after she confided in someone she knew about the abuse, which was then passed to the island offices by two other youths.

The Family and Children Service took the girl into state protection the same day the case was reported, the official said.

Head of the Family and Children Service Centre Abdul Zaeem refused to comment on the case. Senior Social Service Officer from the Ministry of Health and Family Fathimath Runa said ”if a case like this was reported to us, we would investigate it with the police.”

Police Sergeant Abdul Muhsin confirmed the case was reported to police but ”could not give any details.”

Head of Shaviyani Atoll Police Station Ijlal also refused to provide information ”as the investigation is ongoing,” but noted it was the fourth child-related case reported to the station this year.

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Times critic describes Reethi Rah as ‘James Bond lair’

The infamously brutal Times restaurant critic AA Gill has visited the Maldives, describing it in the major UK newspaper as a “Disneyland of extinction”.

Staying at the Reethi Rah resort, Gill questioned the “holiday-island tropical assumption that people who do lots and lots of nervy, shouty business in the First World need to go to the Third World and listen to birdsong and panpipes to stop.”

He described the resort as having a “spookily ethereal quality, as if it’s hiding something.”

“Perhaps, underneath it, a James Bond villain is building a space rocket. Maybe it’s the set for a huge, elaborate reality porno movie,” Gill wrote in the Times.

He also marvelled at the economy of the Maldives: “Before the international hotels came, the Maldives’ main industries were dried tuna, exported to Sri Lanka, and the RAF base on the island of Gan.”

“Sushi and bombs isn’t exactly the green option, and there is nothing else for the Maldives to do except make coconut matting, so it has to be tourism,” he wrote.

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President speaks of Shari’ah law in the Maldives

President Mohamed Nasheed marked the occasion of the Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday and spoke of the history of Shari’ah law in the Maldives during his weekly radio address on the Voice of Maldives.

President Nasheed said Shari’ah law has a unique position in the Maldives, as it’s among the few countries that have practised Islamic law uninterrupted for a long period of time.

“Since the conversion to Islam about 900 years ago, the Maldives has continuously practised Shari’ah,” said President Nasheed.

He said other Muslim countries have practised limited Shari’ah, like Egypt, who adopted the Napoleonic Code after Napoleon’s invasion, and Malaysia, adopting English common law.

The president also mentioned the importance of Islamic scholars who served as chief justices in the Maldives. Historically, they have been the highest authority of Islam, and ensured the continuity of the practise of Shari’ah.

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President to give address tomorrow at People’s Majlis

President Nasheed will deliver a presidential address tomorrow at the People’s Majlis.

The president’s address will be delivered at 10:00am tomorrow, marking the first parliamentary session for this year.

President Nasheed declared 1 March a public holiday last week to commemorate the first sitting of the year of the People’s Majlis.

The presidential address will be webcast live via the President’s Office website

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Government intimidating opposition, Umar Naseer tells Asian Tribune

Vice President of the DRP Umar Naseer has told the Asian Tribune the Maldivian government has been trying to intimidate the opposition “ever since they took office”.

Naseer said he had been arrested twice, tear gassed three times and summoned by police five times “under President Mohamed Nasheed’s regime”.

“This is all in response to our peaceful protest against government policies,” he said.

Naseer was summoned to police headquarters for questioning week after CCTV footage emerged of him shaking the gates of MNDF headquarters during a protest on 28 January.

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New managing director of Waste Management Corporation Ltd appointed

President Mohamed Nasheed has appointed Ali Rasheed as managing director of Waste Management Corporation Limited (WMC).

The company was established in December 2008 as government companies with one hundred percent government shares. Their objective is to manage and strengthen the waste management system in the country.

The WMC’s main services are waste collection, disposal of waste in environmentally friendly and sustainable manner, and recycling.

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