Category: News in Brief

Police dogs to be used at airport and seaports

Police are planning to conduct operations to combat drug smuggling using its new dog squad at the country’s airports and seaports.

The Maldives Police Service signed Memorandums of Understanding with the ports authority, airports company, immigration department, and the customs authority yesterday to use the sniffer dogs to locate drugs.

The MoUs outline mechanisms for relaying information, conducting joint operations, and sharing resources, according to police.

In an exclusive interview with Minivan News last year, home minister Umar Naseer said tackling the country’s entrenched drug problem was his main priority and vowed to “seal” the gateways to the Maldives.

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Dead man found in city park

A man has been found dead at the city park on Alikilegefaanu Magu in Malé around 9:40am this morning.

Police have identified the deceased as Ahmed Nazeem, 27, from Fuvahmulah, but said the cause of death remains unclear.

Police took the body to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival.

An elderly man was meanwhile found dead in the lagoon of Raa Alifushi today.

According to local media, the man was over 65 years of age and was found around 8:40am.

An island councillor said it was unlikely that the deceased, identified as Alibe from the Kinaaraa house, had gone swimming.

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Deputy speaker seeks to ban megaphones at Majlis

The deputy speaker is seeking to ban horns, sirens and megaphones inside the parliament as opposition protests on the Majlis floor enters its eighth week.

MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik is proposing amendments to the Majlis standing orders banning horns, megaphones and other objects that may “mentally disturb” people, according to Haveeru. 

The amendments also prohibit MPs going up to the Speaker’s desk to disrupt Majlis proceedings.

Moosa, formerly a member of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), said he will make “many amendments to keep order and discipline in the Majlis.”

MDP and Jumhooree Party MPs have been protesting since March 2 over the arrest and subsequent imprisonment of former President Mohamed Nasheed and ex defence minister Mohamed Nazim.

The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives has continued with Majlis debates while Speaker Abdulla Maseeh has proceeded with several votes including a law to delay the new penal code amidst opposition protests.

However, the debates have been inaudible over the sound of sirens and horns, while some votes were counted with a show of hands.

Moosa told Haveeru the Speaker will not to allow an MP to speak if other MPs from their party are disrupting Majlis proceedings.

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High Court overturns convictions of murdered MP Afrasheem’s brothers

The High Court yesterday overturned the conviction of former MP Ibrahim Ameen on charges of embezzlement.

Ameen was the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP for Raa Ungoofaru, a seat previously held by his late brother, Dr Afrasheem Ali.

The moderate religious scholar was brutally murdered on October 1, 2012. Ameen had won the by-election for Dr Afrasheem’s vacant seat, but did not seek re-election last year.

In May 2014, Ameen was found guilty by the criminal court of embezzling MVR36, 818 (US$2,388) from the Ungoofaru Island Council Office between May 2004 to April 2006 and sentenced to banishment of four years and six months.

Ameen was found guilty as he had been responsible for all incoming cash, but was unable to explain how the cash from the island’s powerhouse went missing.

However, the High Court noted that Ameen’s inability to explain how the money went missing did not amount to a confession or grounds to convict in the absence of other conclusive evidence.

A second brother of Dr Afrasheem, Abdul Nasir Ali, was also handed an 11-year banishment sentence in April 2014 for embezzling MVR114,325 (US$7,414) from the island office. Nasir was also found guilty of embezzling fees paid by the power house.

On April 8 this year, the High Court overturned Nasir’s conviction as well. In Nasir’s case, the appellate court ruled that the funds in question were provided out of Nasir’s pocket to buy diesel for the island’s powerhouse, which reimbursed him through the island office.

The court noted that witness testimony during the criminal court trial proves Nasir’s defence.

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Former president’s son given job at president’s office

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s son, Gassan Maumoon, has been appointed state minister at the president’s office today.

Gassan was previously state minister at the ministry of youth and sports. He is president Abdulla Yameen’s nephew.

The reasons for the transfer is unclear.

Gayoom meanwhile denied rumours of a rift between himself and his half-brother this week following claims by the opposition that the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives leader is unhappy with the current administration.

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Environment agency head demoted

Senior officials of the state environment regulator have been transferred in an apparent demotion.

Environment Protection Agency (EPA) director general Ibrahim Naeem was transferred to the Baa atoll biosphere reserve office while director Mohamed Musthafa was transferred to the water and sanitation department of the environment ministry.

The EPA functions under the ministry of environment and energy.

The move follows a government-aligned MP submitting amendments to the tourism law to transfer powers to authorise developments on resorts from the EPA to the tourism ministry.

If the amendments pass, resorts will have to seek authorisation from the tourism ministry for any development on a resort that could “permanently alter” the island, plot of land, or lagoon’s environment. The ministry must compile an environmental impact assessment before issuing permission.

The EPA currently conducts assessments and authorises projects such as land reclamation.

Following preliminary debate at yesterday’s sitting of parliament, the amendment bill was accepted for consideration and sent to committee for further review.

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Dead infant found in Malé lagoon

A dead male infant stuffed into a can was discovered by divers in the Malé lagoon yesterday.

Police said the baby is believed to have been born prematurely at six months and was buried last night.

Two divers reportedly came across the milk can in the lagoon on the western side of the capital, near the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, and alerted police around 3:30pm.

A report titled ‘Maldives Operational Review for the ICPD Beyond 2014′ released by the department of national planning suggested that incidents of infanticide and unsafe abortions are symptoms of a lack of sexual education in young Maldivians.

The report identified, “clear indicators of the imperative need to provide access to information on sexual reproductive health and reproductive health services to the sexually active adolescents and youth population.”

Several cases of infanticide were reported in the media in recent years, including several new born babies and prematurely born infants abandoned in parks, buried in secluded places, or thrown into the sea.

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Dhiggaru by-election brought forward to June 6

The Elections Commission has brought forward the by-election for the vacant parliament seat for the Dhiggaru constituency to June 6.

The commission previously scheduled the election for June 13 after ruling party MP Ahmed Nazim was found guilty of defrauding the state of MVR1.4 million (US$91,400).

The Supreme Court sentenced Nazim to 25 years in prison on April 6, overturning lower court rulings that dismissed the corruption charges against the former deputy speaker of parliament.

The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has invited interested candidates to seek the party’s ticket while the opposition alliance has said it will field a single candidate.

The opposition Maldivians Against Brutality coalition, made up of Adhaalath Party, Maldivian Democratic Party, and members of the Jumhooree Party, said they are holding discussions on fielding a single candidate against the PPM.

Adhaalath spokesperson Ali Zahir and a PPM member on the Meemu atoll council, Moosa Naseer, have expressed interest in standing for the vacant seat.

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Police searching for murder suspects

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Police have appealed for public assistance in locating two murder suspects wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 29-year-old.

Noor Adam Hassanfulhu was stabbed outside the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Malé around 1:30am on March 29 and died two hours later while undergoing emergency treatment.

Police are searching for Mohamed Sameeh, 19, and Mohamed Shamlu, 18, both from Fuvahmulah.

Police urged anyone with information of the pair to contact the hotline 3322111 or the organised crime department at 9911099.

Adam’s death marked the fifth murder this year. A 23-year-old was stabbed to death outside his home in the Henveiru ward of Malé on February 21, whilst a 29-year-old was killed in Laamu Mundoo on March 20.

Following Adam’s murder, police launched a joint security operation in the capital with army officers the next day.

Groups of officers have since been patrolling Malé city.

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