Month: June 2013

Hulhumeedhoo law faculty inaugurated with 39 students

A law faculty jointly established by Villa College and the Maldives Law Institute in the Hulhumeedhoo ward of Addu City was officially inaugurated today.

According to local media reports, the faculty was officially opened at a ceremony this morning by Villa College’s Office of the Rector’s Director Dr Ahmed Ali Manik.

Attending the ceremony, former Attorney General Husnu Suood reportedly said that courses would begin today with 39 students from Addu City, Fuvahmulah and Faafu atoll.

The faculty presently offers a foundation course in law and a certificate three in criminal investigation course.

A certificate course on land law tailored for serving magistrates would commence in September, Suood said.

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LGA backs parliament decision to reinstate Miladhoo councillor

The Local Government Authority (LGA) has backed parliament’s decision last week to reinstate Noonu Atoll Miladhoo Island Councillor Nasrulla Mohamed after he was removed from the post through a resolution adopted by the council.

LGA member Ahmed Faisal told newspaper Haveeru that the LGA supports the parliament’s decision to reinstate the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) councillor as the authority believes Nasrulla was not dismissed in accordance with the rules or following due process.

He added that councillors can only be removed by the Elections Commission (EC) according to a Supreme Court ruling. While councils could vote to remove one of its members, Faisal said the decision would not be considered legal until the EC declared a seat vacant.

Nasrulla was dismissed after he allegedly did not attend seven consecutive council meetings, which is cause for removal according to the law. The LGA however did not accept the council’s decision and informed it to reinstate Nasrulla and pay him wages.

The LGA was set up by the landmark Decentralisation Act of 2010 as a parent body tasked with overseeing local councils and coordinating with the government.

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Hong Kong court sentences Maldivian man to life imprisonment for murder of British woman

A 31 year-old Maldivian man has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Hong Kong for the murder of 64 year-old British woman Janet Gilson, a retired major in the Salvation Army.

Ahmed Fareed was arrested by Hong Kong police in March 2011 after the discovery of Janet Gilson’s body under a sofa in a flat belonging to her niece, Julia Fareed – the estranged wife of the accused.

During sentencing at Hong Kong’s Court of First Instance on Thursday (June 20), the presiding judge described Fareed as being “highly dangerous”, stating that the crime was a most brutal killing of a woman aged 64 who had done no harm to the defendant, the South China Morning Post reported.

Sentencing Fareed to life imprisonment, the judge said no motive had been established for the killing of Gilson.

During the trial, the jury heard that the accused had been previously barred via a court order from entering his wife’s home over concerns about his temper.

Media reported that the jury were told during the six day trial how Fareed stood accused of tying up Gilson with rope, before hitting her hard on her forehead. He was then accused of suffocating the victim by stuffing a towel in her mouth while she was still alive. Gilson’s body was later discovered with four broken ribs after being recovered by authorities.

The judge also accused Fareed of committing a calculated murder after the jury were told how he had sent a text message from Gilson’s phone telling her niece she had travelled to Aberdeen in Scotland.

The jury were unanimous in declaring Fareed guilty of the crime.

“Ultimate sacrifice”

Speaking to media after the trial, Julia Fareed praised her late aunt for the “ultimate sacrifice” she had made to allow both herself and her daughter to leave her ex-husband “without fear”.

“To those people that are in relationships with violent partners: I strongly urge you to get away, putting [yourselves at a] sufficient distance to end matters peacefully,” she was quoted as saying.

“I made the mistake of believing I could help change my ex-husband, giving him many chances,” she said. “I realise the error of that judgement now and hope that others can also learn from that.”

Speaking to local media today, Fareed’s family in the Maldives expressed “shock” at the life sentence passed by the Hong Kong court.

Ramzee Mohamed, Fareed’s brother, told Haveeru that his family had previously been informed by the Foreign Ministry that there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction.

Ramzee claimed Fareed had also never displayed any behaviour in line with the violent nature of the attack, adding that his family did not understand why he attacked the victim instead of his ex-wife.

“He had problems with his wife. So it’s difficult to understand why he would murder her aunt. It’s difficult to believe. But when a court has passed the judgement, what can we do? We could appeal the judgment if it was the Maldives,” he was quoted as saying.

According to Haveeru, Fareed’s family also accused his ex-wife of influencing the trial, alleging she was “extremely influential” in Honk Kong, but without clarifying further.

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed today that no official notice had been received informing them of the outcome of the trial.

“We have not received a letter yet confirming the verdict, as it was announced over the weekend here,” the spokesperson said today. “However, I think we will get the verdict soon.”

The Foreign Ministry said that in cases where Maldives nationals were imprisoned of facing trial abroad, it was required to provide assistance such as establishing communications with their family.

“From the start of this case, we have been in contact [with Fareed] through our Chinese Embassy and honorary consulate in Hong Kong to provide services like translation and to keep him in touch with his family,” said the spokesperson.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the Maldives itself had no agreements with Chinese authorities regarding the transfer of prisoners in custody, adding that Fareed would be expected to serve his sentence in Hong Kong “for the time being”.

Fareed’s arrest

Fareed was arrested in March 2011 on Hong Kong pier after Janet Gilson’s body had been found during a second search of her niece’s flat.  Gilson went missing on March 15, 10 days after arriving in Hong Kong. The body was reported to have severe head injuries when discovered.

Local media in the UK reported that Gilson was a long-serving Major in the British branch of the Salvation Army, an international Christian institution with a quasi-military structure known for its charitable work and rehabilitation of alcoholics and drug addicts, and had worked for 40 years as a Christian missionary.

“She had stopped the missionary work but she was still active and in a very high position [in the Salvation Army],” Gilson’s neighbour in her home of Leigh-on-Sea told local media at the time.

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Nasheed calls on government to complete Thimarafushi airport

Former President Mohamed Nasheed called on the government last night (June 22) to complete the stalled Thimarafushi airport project within the next month.

Speaking at a campaign rally on the island of Madifushi in Thaa atoll, Nasheed said he would welcome the “coup” government opening the regional airport and pledged the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP’s) assistance to complete the stalled project.

Nasheed said that the airport was necessary to implement the MDP’s guest house or mid-market tourism policy, which targets 2,000 tourist beds in the southern atoll within the next two years.

In addition to the airport, he continued, a reliable nationwide transport network of ferries was essential for tourists to travel across the country and for local entrepreneurs to transport goods.

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UN translates Special Rapporteur’s report on judiciary into Dhivehi

The UN has released an unofficial Dhivehi translation of Special Rapporteur Gabriela Knaul’s extensive report on the state of the Maldivian judiciary.

In her report, Knaul expressed “deep concern” over the failure of the judicial system to address “serious violations of human rights” during the Maldives’ 30 year dictatorship, warning of “more instability and unrest” should this continue to be neglected.

The report is a comprehensive overview of the state of the Maldivian judiciary and its watchdog body, the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). Knaul examines the judiciary’s handling of the trial of former President Nasheed, the controversial reappointment of unqualified judges in 2010, and the politicisation of the JSC.

Knaul also examines parliament’s failure to pass critical pieces of legislation needed for the proper functioning of the judiciary and “legal certainty”, as well as raises serious concerns about an impending budget catastrophe facing the judicial system.

Read the translation (Dhivehi)

Read the original report (English)

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Female resort worker dies after being hit by dive boat propeller

A 27 year-old female resort worker died yesterday after she was hit by the propeller of a diving boat near the island of Hinmafushi.

Police said Aishath Safa, who worked as a telephone operator at the Four Seasons Kudu Huraa resort 20 minutes from Male’, was hit by the propeller while on a diving excursion after the boat pulled over to pick up another person in the water.

Four Seasons Kuda Huraa issued a statement confirming the incident, and noting that the police investigation was ongoing.

“The Senior Management of the resort extends it deepest sympathies and has offered its fullest support and assistance to the family of Ms Aishath Safa,” the statement read.

The resort stated that Safa was a certified Open Water diver and had joined the afternoon dive session on her day off from work.

During a rally last night former President Mohamed Nasheed expressed sorrow over Safa’s death and praised her contribution to campaigning for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

“Safa was a young woman who worked in numerous ways for the MDP and reform in the Maldives. May God grant her Paradise and give patience to her family,” Nasheed tweeted.

The incident is the fourth serious accident involving a boat propeller this year, and the second fatality.

On June 1, a German woman on honeymoon at Reethi Beach Resort suffered serious leg injuries after she was hit by the propeller of a dive boat.

A 51 year-old Italian woman died on January 31 while snorkeling near Elaa Island in Thaa Atoll, suffering major head injuries after she was hit by a boat propeller.

An 18 year-old Maldivian man was also seriously injured trying to disentangle a fishing line from a dhoni propeller on April 23.

Nauf Ibrahim was hit in the head by the propeller and suffered serious injuries including a skull fracture and internal bleeding. He was taken to Laamu Atoll regional hospital and later transfer to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) by Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) helicopter.

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Criminal Court acquits six men charged with gang rape of 14 year-old girl

The Criminal Court has acquitted six men charged with the gang rape of a minor, on the grounds that the prosecution was unable to offer sufficient evidence to prove they were guilty.

Abdulla Nazeef of Fuvamulah, Mohamed Shifau of Villimale’, Azim Ali from Dhigurah in Alif Dhaalu, Hoodh Mohamed of Male’ special registry, Inash Abdulla of Gaafu Dhaalu Vaadhoo and Ali Ashraf of Maafannu Athuma were charged with the sexual abuse of a minor by a group.

The Prosecutor General’s Office pressed charges against the six suspects on allegations that on June 5, 2010, they abducted a 14 year-old girl, took her to an abandoned area near the Villimale’ antennae area, and raped the victim.

The Criminal Court stated in its verdict that the state had charged the six men under the Special Provisions for Perpetrators of Child Sex Abuse Act of 2009 but had not produced enough evidence as required by the law to declare a person guilty.

According to local media, the court’s verdict stated that the suspects were acquitted as the state had not presented the required number of witnesses to the incident.

The verdict also stated that all the defendants had denied the charges.

According to local media, two of the accused – Abdulla Nazeef and Mohamed Shifau – are among the suspects charged with the murder of Ahmed Mirza Ibrahim.

In April 2011, Mirza Ibrahim was struck in the head with an iron bar while he was sitting inside a park in Villingili, the ward of Male’ where he lived.

Mirza suffered severe head injuries in the attack and was rushed to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), where he was placed on life support but later declared brain-dead.

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Auditor General’s Office to verify disputed figures in finance ministry audit report

The Auditor General’s Office has said it is verifying whether Vimla Construction Pvt Ltd was in fact given an advance payment of MVR 198.1 million (US$12.8 million) in February 2009 as flagged in the finance ministry’s 2011 audit report.

In a press release last week, the Auditor General’s Office said it was in the process of “further checking and verifying” the disputed figure stated in the audit report (Dhivehi) released earlier this month following questions raised in the media over its authenticity.

The case highlighted in the report concerned a large advance payment for delivery of construction materials for a tsunami-related housing project in Gaaf Alif Atoll.

Vimla has claimed in local media that the company received MVR 5 million (US$324,254).

“The audit report did not state that the advance payment to Vimla Construction for the Gaaf Alif housing project was made in violation of the law and regulations,” the press release stressed, adding that the audit office did not make any recommendations concerning the advance payment.

The case was uncovered during auditing of the finance ministry records, the press release added, and the figures were based on information collected from the ministry for its 2011 audit.

Auditors met with senior officials of the finance ministry on February 24, 2013 to verify the figures stated in the audit report and invited feedback from the ministry in a letter sent on March 19, 2013, the press release revealed.

“However, as a result of not receiving comments for the Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s 2011 audit report as of its publication date, this office believes that errors in the figures concerning the cases highlighted in the report are possible,” the Auditor General’s Office conceded.

The press release added that the Auditor General’s Office regretted “any difficulties” or “diminished name or reputation” caused by inaccuracies contained in its audit reports.

The press statement concluded by providing assurances to the public on the professionalism and impartiality of the audits conducted by the office.

The case flagged in the finance ministry’s audit report for 2011 concerned payments made on February 18, 2009 – just over three months after the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration took office.

However, following the controversial transfer of presidential power on February 7, 2012, President Dr Mohamed Waheed appointed members of then-opposition parties to cabinet and senior government posts.

Current Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad was also the finance minister during the last year of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s 30-year reign.

Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim meanwhile told newspaper Haveeru last week that the office has uncovered a number of issues in the tsunami-related reconstruction projects commenced by the Gayoom government in Gaaf Alif atoll.

Niyaz told the local daily that the finance ministry’s audit report for 2011 was published after a long period awaiting comments from the ministry.

“There could be a mistake since they have not said whether there is anything they object to or not,” he was quoted as saying.

Tsunami reconstruction

Niyaz also revealed that the Auditor General’s Office was in the process of completing a special audit of the tsunami reconstruction projects, which would also shed light on the disputed advance payment made to Vimla Construction.

According to the section of the audit report dealing with the advance payment, the “Reconstruction and Development of Gaaf Alif Atoll Project” was to be undertaken with loan assistance from the Saudi Fund.

However, in 2011, the finance ministry spent MVR 17.6 million (US$1.1 million) out of its special budget to transport material needed for the project from the Hithadhoo Regional Port in Addu City to Gaaf Alif atoll.

While Vimla was contracted for the project and given an advance payment, the report explained that a foreign company named Performance Builders was contracted under a “deeds of assignment” on March 25, 2010 to replace Vimla on the project as the local company had been unable to complete the contracted work.

According to local media, the project was eventually awarded to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) after Performance Builders also failed to complete the work. The government-owned company reportedly faced a loss of MVR 17 million (US$1 million) due to nonpayment.

The case is currently the subject of an inquiry by parliament’s Finance Committee.

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Parents seek help after baby born with huge birthmark on face

The parents of a baby girl born with an usually large black birthmark across her face are seeking donations for surgery to remove the scar.

The baby’s parents are from the island of Meedhoo in Dhaalu Atoll in the Maldives.

The father of the baby said doctors had advised him to go abroad to seek further medical assistance as there was little they could do to help in the Maldives.

“Doctors advised me to go for a plastic surgery,” wrote Ahmed Shareef on Facebook, posting a picture of his newborn.

“But plastic surgery is not available here in Maldives. And it costs a huge amount. Please help me in anyway you can if it is possible. Even I will appreciate your good prayers too,” he adds.

The picture has gone viral across Maldivian social media since it was posted on Thursday, and has been shared by over 5000 users. The local community – both online and offline – are rallying to raise money to help the girl.

Speaking to Minivan News on Sunday, Shareef said he had been in touch with doctors from abroad who had given a preliminary diagnosis of Congenital Nevomelanocytic Nevus (CNN).

A nevus – the medical term for a birthmark – larger than 20 centimetres in diameter only occurs once in every half a million newborns. This is the first such case reported in Maldives, which has a population of around 350,000 people.

The scar went undetected during ultra sound scans throughout the pregnancy, Shareef explained.

Although the scar is believed to be benign, there is risk of it further spreading across the baby’s face and causing complications as serious as cancer, according to the family.

“There is a chance of the scar spreading. Or even it may become cancerous. So most of the doctors are saying go for surgery,” Shareef explained.

The young couple, who also have a four-year old son, say they are extremely worried about their daughter’s future.

“Just imagine how can a girl will live here with that. Think about her future,” he said. “The only way I can help my baby is to take her abroad, consult a specialist and do the surgery. But my wife and I cannot afford the travel and costs of the treatment. Please help me,” he begged.

Shareef is a primary school teacher while his wife is a clerk at the island council office, earning less than US$800 a month between them.

Shareef said his wife also had a heart condition requiring prescriptions and regular check ups.

“Despite all this, my wife is very strong. I am doing everything I can to help my wife and daughter,” Shareef said, thanking the public for its generous support so far.

While Shareef is struggling to raise money, little support is available from the state as the national health insurance scheme does not cover expenses for plastic surgery.

The Maldives has a culture of families and friends helping to raise funds for medical treatment to save loved ones, increasingly through social media.

Recently, a young woman launched a search for a Maldivian donor for her husband whose kidneys had both failed. She recently announced that two matching donors had been found.

Similarly, parents of a child born with cleft lip and palate ran a successful campaign called “Help Lisa Smile”. The family raised money through T-shirt sales, in addition to generous donations, and the operation was successful.

For more information on this story contact Ahmed Shareef on Facebook

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