Tag: escape

STO signs agreement to supply equipment to construct Maafushi Prison wall

The State Trading Organisation (STO) has signed a contract with the Department of Correctional Services to supply equipment needed in order to construct a security wall encircling the Maafushi Prison.

Haveeru reported that Managing Director of the STO Adam Azim provided assurance that the company would provide all the necessary equipment as per schedule, and would cooperate fully with the correctional services.

The wall, which is to be built using the paid labour of the prisoners is estimated to cost MVR7 million (US$460,000), with more than half of the total being spent on equipment.

The government’s decision to build the wall came after the escape of two prisoners – both serving life sentences – through some ventilation shafts in their cells.

The Maldives Police Service had previously stated that it would assist correctional services in looking after the security of the prison by permanently stationing a police team on the island.

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Government implements new escaped prisoner regulation

The government yesterday started implementing a new regulation on procedures regarding escaped inmates.

The regulation was made in compliance with Article 144 of the Prisons and Parole Act, 2013.

The regulation gives the authority to the director of prisons to declare that an inmate has escaped from detention, failed to return from temporary release, or taken flight while on medical release.

The new regulation obliges the most senior officer in-charge of the prison security to inform the director of prisons immediately if an inmate escapes or attempts to escape. The director must then inform the Commissioner of Prisons before submitting a detailed incident report within 24 hours.

Correctional services are subsequently obliged to inform police with a written document and to publish the escaped inmate’s picture on the media as well as informing the family of the escape.

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Gaamaadhoo prison bones not Abdulla Anees ‘Aibalhey’, say police

Police have reported that human bones discovered in the site of the former Gaamaadhoo prison on September 19, 2009 do not belong to Abdulla Anees ‘Aibalhey’.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed alleged that the human bones discovered in Gaamaadhoo prison matched the age and estimated period of death of Anees, who disappeared while he was serving a sentence in the prison.

Speaking to the press, Deputy Head of Specialist Command Mohamed Riyaz said that police had concluded the investigation into the case launched under former president Nasheed’s administration, and decided that Anees had not died while in prison. He had last been seen while he was on an island, sentenced to banishment.

Riyaz said the bones were analysed in Thailand and the US, and were found to be aged between 950-1050 years old.

During the investigation police travelled to different islands where Anees had been and met with his close friends, family members, cell mates and women that he had had relations with to gather information, and had  tracked faxes and letters and other documents, Riyaz said.

According to Riyaz, Anees was in jail in early 1980 and was among the inmates that transferred to Gaamaadhoo prison in 1982. In 1983 he was banished to the island ‘Kondey’ in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll.

In December 1983 he was brought back to jail, Riyaz said, and there were records that he had escaped prison several times.

In 1984 he was banished to some islands in the north of the Maldives and on several occasions had tried to flee by stealing a ‘Bokkura’ [small traditional boat]. He was last banished in July 1985 to the island of Dhiyadhoo in Gaafu Alifu Atoll, according to Riyaz.

In 1983 Anees was banished to Fuvamulah, but stole a boat and tried to flee before he was found near the waters of Fiyoari in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and brought back to hail.

That same year he was arrested again in a bokkura in the Vaadhoo Ocean, as a fugitive on the run who had escaped prison for the second time.

Prison documents show that Anees was in prison in December the same year and had escaped prison that time as well.

In July 1984 Anees was banished to Hoarafushi in Haa Alifu Atoll, and in September that year he stole a boat and fled to Molhadhoo in the same atoll.

The last information about Anees that police could obtain was that he was banished to Dhiyadhoo island in 1985, and on the evening of September 25 of the same year he stole a bokkura and left the island.

Police said the night Anees left was stormy, and that after he left there was no sign of the bokkura, his body or his clothes.

According to police, documents at the Dhiyadhoo island office and former prisons division showed that a search was conducted to find him, but it was unsuccessful.

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Convicted terrorist escapes DPRS on motorbike

A man sentenced for six years for charges of terrorism relating to the Himandhoo incident escaped yesterday as he was being transferred from the court to Malé Prison.

Spokesperson for the Juvenile Court Zaeema Nasheed identified the man as Hussein Nishan, 18, of Roze Hose in Himandhoo of North Ari Atoll.

Zaeema said that the man escaped by the time he was transferred to Male’ prison by a court officer from the Juvenile Court yesterday around 3:00pm.

”A court officer took him to the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service (DPRS) and the department requested a court officer to take him to Male’ jail,” she said. ”It is the responsibility of the DPRS to take prisoners to the place where they are to be kept.”

She said Nishan fled on a motor-bike which stopped near Galolhu Male’ Hiya.

”The court officer immediately informed us about the incident,” Zaeema said, adding the department “immediately informed the police.”

She said the court officer did not manage to see the registration number of the motor bike.

Zaeema said there had several recent cases where prisoners had escaped custody, but noted that this was the most recent incident.

”We do not have a vehicle at the court [to transfer prisoners,” she said, ”and we have very low security procedures.”

She said Nishan was charged for terrorism in 2007 for attacking the Armed Forces of Maldives in Himandhoo when he was only 16 years old.

”The case was sent to the court by the Prosecutor General’s office on 24 July 2008.”

A source in DPRS told Minivan News that the court officer went with Nishan to DPRS around 4:00pm yesterday.

”We told him to transfer Nishan to Male’ Jail,” he said, ”and when we called after a while to check where he was, Niham said that the man escaped.”

He added that Nishan had cooperated during the trial.

Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the case was reported to the police yesterday afternoon.

Shiyam said Nishan had not yet been found and added that the police are searching for him.

Spokesperson for the DRPS Moosa Rameez did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

President Mohamed Nasheed has previously vowed to the people of Himandhoo that the government will grant clemency to Himandhoo inmates convicted for terrorism.

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