Category: News in Brief

High Court overturns acquittal of accused drug smugglers

The High Court has today overturned the Criminal Court’s acquittal of two men accused of smuggling more than a kilo of drugs and sentenced the pair to life imprisonment.

In 2011, the Criminal Court had found Abdul Latheef Mohamed, from the Daily Blue house in Fuvahmulah, and Hassan Ali, from special registry number 3033, not guilty of drug smuggling charges.

Police arrested the pair in December 2010 during a joint operation with the Maldives Customs Service after discovering 1083.4246 grams of cannabis in a box in the trunk of Latheef’s car near the T-jetty in Malé.

The lower court had ruled that state prosecutors were unable to prove that the accused were aware that the box contained illicit narcotics.

In the judgment (Dhivehi) delivered by a panel of three judges – including Chief Judge Abdulla Hameed – the High Court ruled that the pair must bear responsibility for being in possession of the drugs as they had loaded the box into the car voluntarily.

While the drugs were smuggled from India, the High Court noted that Latheef had received a text message from an Indian number before he collected the package.

The text message said ‘1 2 3’ and the same digits were written on the box, the High Court noted. Moreover, evidence submitted by the prosecution showed that the pair had called the suspected Indian supplier on numerous occasions after the drugs arrived in the Maldives.

In March 2011, the High Court invalidated a letter by the Criminal Court ordering police to transfer Latheef to house arrest.

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PPM seeking to silence minority voice in parliament, says MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy

Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed has proposed an amendment to the parliamentary rules of procedure to require a vote to accept a resolution before opening the floor for a debate, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs have revealed.

At a press conference today, MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy explained that Speaker Maseeh – a member of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives – had sent a letter to the general affairs committee requesting the revision.

Under the existing rules or standing orders, a resolution submitted to parliament has to be debated on the floor ahead of a vote.

Imthiyaz contended that the move by the majority party – which holds a comfortable majority in the 85-member house – was intended to “silence” the minority.

If the amendment is brought to the rules, Imthiyaz explained that resolutions submitted by the main opposition party would not be put up for a debate. A vote would first be called on whether or not to accept the resolution.

The MP for Maafanu North noted that a resolution he submitted in July calling for a parliamentary debate on a controversial decision by the Judicial Service Commission clearing Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed of misconduct has yet to be tabled in the agenda by the speaker.

The resolution was submitted after pro-government MPs voted down a motion without notice submitted by the MDP for a parliamentary debate on the issue.

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Tourists blissfully unaware of Islamist tide in Maldives: Irish Times

“On arrival in the Maldives, holidaymakers bound for the exclusive resort of Gili Lankanfushi are whisked from the airport to a speedboat, given a freshly prepared coconut to sip and a cloth bag bearing a slogan: ‘No News, no Shoes.’ The idea is to place your shoes in the bag during the 20-minute boat journey and forget them, along with distressing world events, for the duration of your stay at the tropical island paradise,” writes the Irish Times.

“Avoiding the headlines may be no bad thing while watching sea turtles swim under your luxurious water villa, or while walking barefoot along the sparkling lagoon’s palm-shaded white beaches. It is certainly no bad thing for the Maldivian tourism industry, because the news is not good from this resort archipelago of some 1,200 low-lying coral islands in the Indian Ocean.

“In April, following a 60-year moratorium, the Muslim country’s government reactivated the death penalty. Facilities are being built at a prison on Maafushi Island to have murder convicts executed by lethal injection. The age of criminal responsibility in the Maldives is 10, but children as young as seven – who may be found guilty of certain crimes under Islamic sharia – could now potentially face a death sentence.”

Read more

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President Yameen, MDP sends Independence Day felicitations to India

President Abdulla Yameen and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) sent felicitations and greetings to India yesterday on the occasion of the neighbouring country’s Independence Day (August 15).

“In separate messages sent to the President and Prime Minister, President ‎Yameen extended warm greetings and sincere good wishes of the Government ‎and the people of the Maldives, to the people and the Government of India,” read a statement from the President’s Office website.

“He also expressed his hopes for further progress of the close relations of ‎‎friendship, understanding and co-operation that exist between the Maldives ‎and India.‎ In his message, the President extended his good wishes for continued ‎progress and prosperity of the people of India.‎”

President Yameen sent a similar message to the president and prime minister of Pakistan on the occasion of the Islamic state’s Independence Day, extending “warm greetings and sincere good wishes of the government and the people of the Maldives, to the people and the government of Pakistan” and expressing his “hopes for further consolidation of the warm and cordial relations that exist between the Maldives and Pakistan.”

The MDP meanwhile issued a statement extending “congratulations and best wishes to the people of India on the auspicious occasion of the 68th Independence Day of India.”

“While we renew our celebration of good relations, Indian Independence today means much more than just the Independence of present India, as Indian development over the years has given hope to all of South Asia,” the statement read.

“The Maldivian Democratic Party shares the Indian peoples’ aspirations for a powerful India, playing a preeminent role in South Asia. The Maldivian Democratic Party reiterates its stance that India must remain the supreme power in the Indian Ocean region; a position that should be accepted, indeed welcomed, by the Maldives.”

The main opposition party also expressed “gratitude for continued Indian concerns and assistance where necessary in dealing with dangers not only to the future stability of the Maldives but also to the security of the wider region.”

The statement went on to express “profound gratitude to Indian institutions and government for continued engagement in spheres of trade, development and especially with all political entities in strengthening and safeguarding democratic institutions in the Maldives.”

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Two arrested from Hulhumalé youth show

Police arrested two men aged 19 and 20 at a music show dubbed “Youth for the Nation” held at Hulhumalé last night, reports Sun Online.

While one was arrested on suspicion of drug use, police said the second suspect was arrested for allegedly harassing a girl at the show.

The show was also held in Malé. It was reportedly organised by a group of youth with the aim of airing and addressing concerns and grievances of young people

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Joint venture company registered to develop Fushidhiggaru

A joint venture company (JVC) formed between the government and Prime Capital Maldives Pvt Ltd to develop a special tourist zone in the Kaafu Fushidhiggaru lagoon has been registered by the economic development ministry in accordance with a Civil Court judgment, reports newspaper Haveeru.

Registrar of Companies Mariyam Visam told the local daily today that the ministry registered the JVC within the seven-day period stipulated by the Civil Court verdict, which also ordered the government to sign a master lease agreement within five days of registration, “and [to] make all arrangements undertaken by the government in accordance with the agreement”.

In September 2013, Prime Capital sued the government after the ministry refused to register the JSC citing lack of authorisation from then-President Dr Mohamed Waheed as required by law.

The agreement was signed between Prime Capital and the Maldivian government on January 18, 2013 to lease the Fushidhiggaru lagoon for a 50-year period to a JVC with a 25 percent stake for the government.

According to local media, the government was to receive 30 percent of the profits from the tourism venture in the lagoon south of the capital Malé.

Prime Capital is reported to be a Singaporean company.

Following media reports last year suggesting that the JVC agreement was signed secretively, both Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb initially denied the existence of an agreement to lease the lagoon.

Less than two weeks before the first round of last year’s presidential election on September 7, Jumhooree Coalition campaigner Umar Naseer – now home minister – leaked documents to the media purported to be an agreement to sell the lagoon.

Naseer alleged at the time that the economic development ministry stopped the project as the cabinet had not officially approved it.

Moreover, the agreement was signed without seeking legal advice from the attorney general, he claimed.

Adeeb denied the existence of an “official” lease agreement and dismissed the allegations as a “political assassination” attempt in the days preceding the presidential election.

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High Commission celebrates India’s Independence Day with flag-hoisting ceremony

The High Commission of India celebrated India’s Independence Day yesterday (August 15) with a flag-hoisting ceremony in Malé.

Some 350 people, including High Commissioner Rajeev Shahare and Indian expatriates working in the Maldives, along with a number of locals, attended the ceremony at the High Commission premises in the capital.

The flag-hoisting ceremony was followed by a rendition of the Indian national anthem.

According to local media, Sahare said in his remarks at the function that almost 50 years have elapsed since the establishment of bilateral relations between India and the Maldives.

A series of events were held to mark the three-week long India Maldives Friendship Festival (IMFF) to celebrate the Independence Days of Maldives (July 26) and India (August 15), including a cricket tournament, a friendship walk on August 8, and a cultural evening and magic show at the Olympus Theatre on August 12.

The Friendship Association of India and Maldives meanwhile conducted a ‘Let’s Talk’ seminar last night on the topic of expatriates in the Maldives.

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Witnesses seek to provide alibi for Afrasheem murder suspect

Four witnesses have testified that Ali Shan was at the Jalapeno restaurant on the night that MP Dr Afrasheem Ali was murdered, reports local media.

Shan is accused of killing the moderate religious scholar on October 1, 2012 together with Hussain Human, who was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court in January.

At a hearing yesterday, four witnesses for the defence testified that Shan was at the restaurant until 1:15am.

However, there were slight discrepancies in the testimonies. While one witness – Ali Hashim ‘Smith’ – reportedly claimed he joined Shan and four others for a coffee at 11:30pm, a second witness suggested Hashim arrived around 10:30pm.

While the fourth witness said he left Jalapeno with Hashim around 1:00m and went to the Labamba restaurant, Hashim had said he left around 12:30am and went to the Laban restaurant in front of the Hulhumalé ferry terminal.

As a fifth witness failed to appear yesterday, Judge Abdulla Didi said his testimony would be heard at the next trial date.

Judge Didi also refused a request by Shan’s attorney to release the defendant from police custody and said he would announce a date for hearing closing statements at the next hearing.

At a hearing in February, state prosecutors presented evidence against the accused, including two witness testimonies, the confession of Humam, and a recording of a phone call.

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Supreme Court overturns High Court’s annulment of Kodey island council election

The Supreme Court yesterday overturned the High Court’s annulment of the island council election on the island of Kodey in Gaaf Alif atoll.

Following the local council elections in January, the High Court in February annulled the polls in Kodey and ordered a revote for the five-member island council.

The Elections Commission (EC) subsequently appealed the decision at the Supreme Court.

In its verdict (Dhivehi) – delivered more than six months after the council elections – the apex court, however, ordered a revote to be held among the two fifth-placed candidates and the sixth-placed candidate.

The fifth-placed candidates received 88 votes while the candidate in sixth place received 87 votes.

As the margin between the candidates for the last seat was just one vote, the High Court had annulled the election after it emerged that an elderly Kodey man residing in Dhandhoo had cast his ballot in the wrong box.

Earlier this month, the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives MP Jameel Usman – who represents the Kodey constituency – had expressed concern with the lack of an elected council in the island.

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