Category: News in Brief

Corruption case against former media council members continues

The Anti-Corruption Commission has forwarded the cases of seven former members of the Maldives Media Council (MMC) accused of ignoring a directive to return allowances deemed illegal, local media has reported.

Sun Online has reported that charged are being pursued against a total of 10 former MMC members.

A 2011 Auditor General’s report revealed that members took almost Rf 900,000 in additional allowances – fees which the MMC subsequently asked to be returned.

The report stated that the living allowance was an illegal expense, despite parliament having approved the MMC’s budget which included the allowance. It was noted that the MMC had behaved inappropriately for an institution that was required by nature to have the trust and confidence of the public.

The following year’s audit report revealed that 13 of the MMC’s members had failed to return the MVR7,500 (US$478).

A recent survey conducted by local NGO Transparency Maldives revealed that only 12 percent of those interviewed believed public officials and civil servants to be free from corruption.

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IOM conducts human trafficking workshop for police and immigration officials

International Organization for Migration has commenced a Human Trafficking training workshop for Police and Immigration officials.

The four-day workshop participants will be informed on internatinal best practice on conducting investigations and dealing with victim of human trafficking. The workshop will cover both labor and sex trafficking.

Assistant Controller of Immigration Ali Ashraf informed Minivan News last week that the training would help prepare immigration officials for the recently ratified anti-trafficking bill.

Those found guilty of human trafficking can now face up to 10 years for cases involving adults, which can be extended to up to 15 if children are involved. Accomplices to trafficking can also now receive a seven year sentence.

“Implementation of the bill will require a lot of effort and coordination,” said Ashraf.

The Maldives’ has remained on the US State Department’s Tier 2 watchlist for four years, being warned this year that only significant improvements in this area could save it from relegation to Tier 3 and potential sanctions.

A government-ordered report in 2011 revealed human trafficking to be the Maldives second most lucrative industry after tourism – worth an estimated US$123million a year.

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Repeated delays in trial of second Afrasheem murder suspect

At the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), the Criminal Court has delayed the trial of Ali Shan, the second suspect charged with the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali.

The last hearing was held in May this year. The Criminal Court had given Shan the opportunity to appoint a lawyer. Shan has pleaded innocent.

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

A PGO official said the office was waiting for a verdict in the case against the chief suspect in the murder Hussain Humam before proceeding with the case against Shan.

The Criminal Court has concluded hearings into Human’s trial.

Police have forwarded cases of four additional individuals to the PGO for their alleged involvement in Afrasheem’s murder – taking the total number of suspects facing charges over the attack to seven.

Azleef Rauf, Shaahin Mohamed, Adam Salaah, a minor named ‘Nangi’ and Abdulla ‘Jaa’ Javid – son-in-law of opposition Maldivian Democratic Party Chair ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik – stand accused of aiding and abetting the murder,

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Total of 892 MDP candidates to compete in local council elections

Speaking to media today, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik said the forms for all 892 candidates that won MDP tickets for the upcoming local council elections scheduled for  January 18, 2014 have been handed over to the Elections Commission.

Moosa said in constituencies without an MDP candidate, the party will endorse independent candidates. He said the details of this will be revealed soon.

Meanwhile the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has previously announced it will be contesting a total of 627 seats in this election.

The PPM and the ruling “Unity Coalition” members will work jointly in these elections to gain maximum seats. The Jumhooree Party, the second biggest in the coalition, will be contesting for more than 340 seats.

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President forms anti-trafficking steering committee

President Abdulla Yameen has formed an “Anti-Trafficking Steering Committee” as required by the new Anti Human Trafficking Act.

The members of the committee are;

1. Abdulla Saeed, Supreme Court Judge
2. Jeehan Mahmood, Member of Human Rights Commission
3. Mariyam Zoona, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Youth and Sports
4. Aisha Naeem, State Attorney at the Attorney General’s Office
5. Mahmood Saleem, Assistant Public Prosecutor Grade 3 at the Prosecutor General’s Office
6. Mohamed Shifan, Deputy Chief Immigration Officer at the Department of Immigration and Emigration
7. Khadeeja Najeeha, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
8. Hassan Habeeb, Assistant Commissioner of Police
9. Mohamed Maseeh, Chief Superintendent at the Maldives Customs Service
10. Aishath Nafaa Ahmed, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Youth and Sports
11. Sheikh Hussain Rasheed Yoosuf, Inspector General of Correction Service at the Ministry of Home Affairs
12. Ali Waheed, Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs
13. Muruthallah Moosa from the Advocating the Rights of Children (a local NGO)

A member from the People’s Majlis will also sit in this committee. As per article 62 of the Act, this committee will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Act, and advising the president on matters related to it’s implementation, and coordinating programs related to countering human trafficking.

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Presidential residence expenditure to increase next year

Despite President Abdulla Yameen’s decision to live in his own residence, the allocated budget for the official presidential residence “Muleeaage’” will be MVR 19.1 million next year, a MVR2 million increase from this year.

The chair of Parliament’s Budget Review Committee Gasim Ibrahim expressed the need to have the required budget allocation in case President Yameen decides to move to a state funded residence, CNM reports.

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Maldives pays final respects to Nelson Mandela

Minister at the President’s Office Hussain Shareef has paid final respects to former South African President Nelson Mandela on behalf of the Maldivian people.

The former president lay in state in Pretoria for three days, before being flown to his home town of Qunu for burial. A reported 100,000 people journeyed to see the president as he lay in the Union Buildings of the country’s administrative capital.

Shareef offered condolences to Mandela’s family on behalf of President Abdulla Yameen and Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed – both of whom had signed the Maldives’ own book of condolences for the leader Yameen described as“the greatest statesman the world has seen”.

Yameen ordered the Maldives national flag to be flown at half-mast the weekend following Mandela’s passing.

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Cabinet split into economic and social councils

President Abdulla Yameen has divided his cabinet ministers into two sub groups – categorized as the Social Council and the Economic Council, the President’s Office has today revealed.

The Social Council is compiled of the Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, the Minister of Education Aishath Shiham, Minister of Environment Thoriq Ibrahim, and the Minister of Gender and Health Mariyam Shakeela.

According to council member Shaheem, it will be headed by Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.

While this still leaves eleven other cabinet members, the compilation of the Economic Council has not been announced yet.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali was not responding to calls at the time of press.

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Finance Minister joins ruling Progressive Party of Maldives

Recently reappointed Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has joined President Abdulla Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), becoming the second cabinet member to join the party this week.

Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim – also reappointed to his position after Yameen’s recent inauguration – announced his decision to join the PPM yesterday, commenting on social media that he had opted to join what he viewed as the most democratic party in the country.

Jihad told local media that his decision had come after a request made by former President  and Leader of the PPM Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

He also revealed that the finance minister position in the cabinet had been reserved for a PPM member. The PPM is currently the second largest political party in the Maldives, both in terms of party members and MPs.

“My decision was based on President Maumoon’s request. I have always been of PPM’s ideologies and philosophies,” Jihad told Sun Online.

Gayoom himself released a tweet yesterday thanking Jihad for his decision: “U will be a great asset to us”.

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