Tag: assault

Police arrest man on suspicion of assaulting Mariya Didi

A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting Maldivian Democratic Party MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, a year after the alleged assault took place.

Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef told local media that the man was arrested on 4 March 2013 in relation to the assault that took place on 7 February 2012.

According to local media, police have been investigating the videos of the unrest that followed the controversial change of power in February 2012.

The police have been criticised by various institutions for a failure to investigate several incidents that took place on February 7 and 8, 2012.

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Five minors arrested in connection with assault

Police have arrested five boys under the age of 18 in connection with an assault at the carnival area in Male’ around 4:50pm on Friday (December 7).

According to police, a 22 year-old was stabbed near his left elbow and was treated at the ADK private hospital. He has since been released, police said.

The suspects taken into custody were aged 15, 16 and 17, police revealed.

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Fijian man sentenced for two years imprisonment for sexual assault

The Criminal Court of the Maldives has sentenced a Fiji man to two years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a Canadian woman.

The man identified as Thomas Cunningham Newton was arrested in June 2011 for sexually assaulting a female pilot at the sea plane operator TransMaldivian Airways (TMA) while he was employed as the Chief Engineer at the same company.

TMA’s Managing Director Alsford Edward James declined to comment on the case citing that it is “not a company matter”.

However, he confirmed that Newton’s employment was terminated following the arrest, but the female pilot still works for the company.

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MP beaten and handed to police semi-naked after alleged extra-marital affair

Independent MP Ahmed Amir was assaulted by a group of people around 3:00am in the morning last Thursday, following allegations that the MP for Kudahuvadhoo was caught with a married woman in a residence in the Maafanu ward of Male’.

The MP was reportedly severely beaten and handed over to police semi-naked before dawn on Thursday, and has now flown to Sri Lanka for treatment.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam told Minivan News that MP Amir insisted that the allegations against him were completely false.

“The [attackers] called police at the time, so officers went there and brought MP Amir in for questioning,” Shiyam explained. “Both parties have reported the same case differently, MP Amir said he was stopped and attacked while he was passing by, while the group claims that he slept with the wife of another man.”

Amir had bruises on his face and suffered other injuries, he added, stating that police were investigating the case.

A ruling party MP told Minivan News today on condition of anonymity that the incident occurred when MP Amir was caught with the woman by her family.

“Then they attacked him and this really happened, according to what I know,” he said.

MP Amir was meanwhile was unavailable for comment as both his mobile numbers were temporarily disconnected.

Amir however told local media that he was grabbed by a group of men while passing by a road near Indira Gandi Memorial Hsopital (IGMH), taken inside a room, stripped and beaten up.

Amir claimed the attackers robbed him of his mobile phone and wallet before turning him in to police.

Secretary General of Parliament Ahmed Mohamed told Minivan News that Amir was not arrested and police therefore did not inform the secretariat about the incident.

According to parliamentary rules of procedure, police have to inform the parliament if they intended to arrest an MP and escort him to parliament sittings before a court decided on his or her case.

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Man who assaulted wife sentenced to six months

The Criminal Court has sentenced a man to six month imprisonment after he brutally assaulted his wife.

The Court identified him as Ahmed Visham of Gulhi in Kaafu Atoll, and his wife as Maryam Nashidha. Visham has denied the charges in court saying that the bruises and injuries on his wife’s body occurred after she “fell off the bed”.

The Criminal Court said that although Visham had denied the charges in court, his sister Maryam Nazna told the court that she woke up at midnight to the sound of Visham attacking Nashidha.

Nazna heard Nashidha crying and she also started crying, and the others in the house woke up to the sound of Nazna’s cry.

Nazna told the court that she heard Nashidha crying ‘’Help mother, father,’’ and later Visham was seen carrying his wife Naashidha out of the room.

The court said that Naashidha’s face was bleeding when she was brought out of the room, and the documents and pictures presented to the court showed that she had suffered major injuries.

The court said that Naashidha received medical treatment for the injuries she suffered and that there was enough evidence to believe that the injuries were caused by a willful attack inflicted on her by a person.

Visham was sentenced under article 126 of the penal code. The court said that it was the second time Visham had been found guilty of such a crime.

According to the Penal Code, any person found guilty of assault shall be sentenced to six months imprisonment, banishment, or house arrest, or shall be fined for an amount that should not exceed Rf 200 (US$13).

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Opposition behind assault on MP Nazim Rashad, MDP claims

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has strongly condemned the “uncivilised and brutal assault” on Thulhaadhoo MP Nazim Rashad last night, accusing opposition parties of planning and carrying out the attack.

A press release by the party today states that “the party believes the attack on Nazim was a planned, cruel and cowardly act.”

“In the view of the party, these cowardly acts planned by opposition parties are purposely carried out to obstruct the valuable efforts of the sincere MPs of the MDP parliamentary group and intimidate them,” it reads.

It adds that such incidents would not discourage or hamper “the hard work of MDP members to establish and consolidate democracy in the Maldives.”

The press statement concludes by calling on all political parties to choose peaceful dialogue to resolve political differences.

Local daily Haveeru meanwhile reports that the former Independent MP was assaulted around 11:30pm when he came out of the Thandhoor Cafe’ in Buruzumagu.

According to an eyewitness, a person riding a GN motorcycle struck Nazim on the face “about three times and yelled at him before getting away.”

The eyewitness told Haveeru that the attacker accused Nazim, a former Islam teacher, of expelling him from Majeedhiya School.

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Specially-trained officers patrolling the streets during Ramadan to reduce crime

Police Chief Inspector Ahmed Abdul Rahman has announced that specially trained police officers will be patrolling the streets of Male’ during Ramadan, in a bid to counteract a spike in crime observed during the Holy month.

Speaking to the press, Rahman said that every year during Ramadan assault and robbery cases have been observed to increase than compared to other months of the year.

Police have noted that thieves become more active between sunset and sunrise, with records showing that most of the theft and robbery cases have occurred during this time.

The specially-trained police officers will patrol the streets and keep an eye on crime hotspots, he said.

He called on everyone to be more cautious during the month of Ramadan and to upgrade the security of offices and homes.

President Mohamed Nasheed last week announced that almost 400 convicted criminals will be released from prison to offer them a second chance to enter society as a reformed person.

Although the public has raised concern over the issue of  impending release of close to 400 convicted criminals, Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair has said it will not result in a spike in crime rates in Male’.

““Out of the 119 people released on a previous occasion only two people have had to be taken back to prison for committing an offence,” Zuhair said.

He added that the inmates will be released on the understanding that they would be returned to prison to complete the rest of their sentences if they committed any sort of offence in the next three years.

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Government moves to outlaw tinted windows in commercial vehicles

The government has reportedly moved to ban the use of materials such as Sun-X and other solar window film products that obscure viewing the inside of taxis and other commercial vessels and vehicles in the Maldives.

Haveeru has reported that the national transport authority has acted under article 45 of the constitution and now expects all vehicles that are being used for commercial reasons to be in compliance with the new regulation by April 1 2011.

Although not directly connected to any specific case, news of the announcement follows an alleged attempt by a taxi driver in Male’ this month to sexually assault a 20-year old woman in a vehicle with darkly tinted windows.

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Father and son injured in street fight

One of three men who allegedly attacked a man and his father last night before fleeing surrendered himself to police this morning.

Police Sergeant Abdul Muhsin said the incident occurred at 11:50 pm last night.

“Three men attacked a father and son [in Male’]; they were both taken to hospital and treated. The father was 47 years-old and the son was 20,” Muhsin said.

He confirmed that one person in connection with the case had since been arrested.

A person familiar with the incident alleged the victim and another man first attacked the group of three men while they were walking past the house of the victim.

“The group of three men fought back,’’ said the source. ‘’One of the three men grabbed a metal tube and tried to escape from the fight.’’

He claimed the victim after ran towards his own house but was followed by one of the three men.

“The victim’s father came in between the two men to stop them [from fighting],’’ he said. “While his father was trying to stop the fight, another of the three men attacked the victim’s father caused him a two- inch cut in the arm.’’

He said claimed the victim suffered a head injury as well as bruises and cuts.

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