Recently dismissed defence minister Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim was arrested last night at around 1:15am.
Nazim’s lawyer has said police told him his client was being charged with offences related to activities against the state, while his arrest form described the charges as terrorism and possession of illegal items.
The charges carry a potential sentence of 7 – 10 years, explained Maumoon Hameed, adding that his client was taken last night to Dhoonidhoo detention center.
“We would be able to prove at the remand hearing that the Nazim should not have been arrested and that he is not guilty of any accusations,” he told Minivan News.
Media had reported that the police’s investigation into dangerous weapons charges had been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office yesterday evening, though Hameed has not been officially informed of this.
Nazim himself tweeted news of his arrest to his followers shortly after 1am, also announcing that he had left the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives.
Wish to inform all well wishers ive been taken to police custody tonight. Allah almighty will give me justice..Insha allah.
— Mohamed Nazim (@nazim7878) February 9, 2015
I would like to inform all my well wishers.i hv left #ppm today but will be committed to work with u for a better & secure #Maldives — Mohamed Nazim (@nazim7878) February 9, 2015
Police were unable to reveal further details of the arrest, while Minivan News was unable to obtain a response from the Prosecutor General’s Office at the time of press.
Special Operations officers raided Nazim’s home in the early hours of January 18, with police later saying they had found dangerous weapons – including a pistol and an explosive device during the search.
After initially expressing support for the minister, Nazim was dismissed from his position two days later, being replaced by Major General (retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel on January 20.
Police have maintained they were unaware that the home belonged to the defence minister prior to the raid, later telling media that the decision was made not to make arrests due to the profile of the suspect.
After the passports of both Nazim and his wife were confiscated, the former minister was summoned for questioning at police headquarters earlier this week.
Related to this story
Police raid Defence Minister Nazim’s home in early hours
Nazim dismissed as defence minister, replaced by Moosa Ali Jaleel
Pistol and explosive device found at Nazim’s home, says Police Commissioner
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Yameen became accepted as a candidate after being arrested by Nasheed.
Nasheed became a serious candidate after being arrested by Maumoon.
Maumoon was arrested by President Nasir
So its very unlikely that Yameen/gayoom is unaware of the impact of Nazims arrest. It will boost popularity of Nazim
Could this whole thing be the PPMs way of putting another leader into opposition and messing it up… Lets see..
… but of course Nazim could turn out to be more clever. In that case, more drama..
Why is it that we still abide by a system that we all know is corrupt? A system that is designed by an elite few to overpower anyone who is in their way. A system that says you’re guilty until you’re proven innocent, even then the system will decide if you’re innocent or not, regardless of evidence.
This nation is becoming a mockery. Who is safe? Your ideology can and will be used against you. Freedom of expression is joke. Our nation’s motto should be “believe it or else…”
How taunting it is to know that the police can and will plant evidence against you to take you out of the picture to please the ruling body? To know that you can’t do a thing about it.
We can only beat this flawed system by standing it against it collectively, and I hope these new victims of this barbaric system will join together, expose those evil doers and bring this whole thing down.
Naxim, is one of the coupe leader next Gayoom, Maumoon, so we will not look any sympathy to him.
If Possession of weapon is an offence, then no one is innocent from this crime. The knowledge of bomb making or the knowledge of converting gasoline to weapon should be punishable offence. Also if the work to defeat the government is terrorism then all oppositions are terrorists. It seems the old man is in full gear now and we are now witnessing the repeat of Golhabo rule. Golhabo rule was to frame people in the name of government by planting evidence and raiding and use kangaroo courts to give guilty verdicts. Just don’t let go back to the dark ages.