Tag: gang attack

Family of stabbing victim Muheeth to hold 10 minutes of silence

The family of 21 year-old Abdul Muheeth ‘Bobby’ who was stabbed to death outside the Finance Ministry of February 19, has organised 10 minutes of silence in memory of his death.

The 10 minutes of silence is to be held on Thursday at Ameenee Magu from 12:30pm to 12:40pm in front of the Finance Ministry, the area where he was killed.

Muheeth’s family said the event was open for the public to take part, and appealed for as many as possible to take part.

According to the ‘Justice for Bobby’ Facebook page created by his family, after the 10 minutes of silence attendees will be invited to pray.

Muheeth’s family said the event was the beginning of their work against gang violence, and said they have realised that more innocent lives could be lost as the city of Male’ was no longer safe for anyone.

‘’A moment of silence will be observed in remembrance of our dear brother Bobby, who was brutally killed by some evil gangsters on February 19th 2012,” the family said. “Please join with us to honor and pay respect to our innocent brother. Thank you!’’

The ‘Justice for Bobby’ Facebook page has since been ‘liked’ by 13,000 people, with moving comments posted by many family members.

‘’It’s so hard to even look at your photos, I get flashbacks of the night I held you in my arms when you were covered in blood…. I tried… I lied.. I told him ‘Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.. Just be strong. It’s just a scratch’,” said his brother.

“I never realised how many stab marks were on his body until I looked at myself… I was covered in Bobby’s blood, from head to toe… words can’t explain how much it hurts to lose you like that.. I will try as hard as I can. One way or another, I will find justice,” he wrote.

Bobby’s girlfriend wrote: ‘’I saw u in my dreams last night… I’m glad I saw u, we were talking about our marriage.. I’m looking forward for that day so much… The day you and I can be one.. But maybe God has another plan for us, something wonderful for us in heaven perhaps. Miss the way u made me feel around u… Miss the sweet conversations we had… and most of all, miss fighting with u… the fact that i miss u so much and there is nothing i can do about it, is killing me inside.. i want to talk to u, hug u, hold ur hand, and be around u all the time…”

A cousin wrote a poem: “I’m glad he feels no pain now – he lives in a perfect land, I can hear the soft voice and the see the sweet smile on his face, I lie in bed and cry at night, and I don’t feel any better in the morning light, And I will love and miss him forever, until the day we are again together, together in that perfect place above, filled with caring, sharing and love, but until that day comes – I will wipe my tears away.”

Meanwhile, police have a statement saying that cases have been forwarded against Muhujath Ahmed Naasih of Abulagee Ge on Gahdhoo in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll, Mohamed Maimoon of Zaithoonige, on Naifaru of Lhaviyani Atoll, and Ali Mushahfau of Sultan Villa on Maradhoo in Seenu Atoll.

The Criminal Court and Juvenile Court have begun the hearings of the case, which continues in court.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Investigation suggests stabbing murder of 16 year-old was gang attack: police

A police investigation into the stabbing murder of a 16 year-old boy in Male’ last week was making progress although no arrests have yet been made, according to Deputy Head of Specialist Command Mohamed Riyaz.

Speaking to the press at Iskandar Koshi, Riyaz said police had spoken to several people and visited places related to the death, and have gathered information that cannot be revealed at the time for fear of disrupting the investigation.

He said the information received so far suggested that the boy was killed in a gang attack, however he declined to provide further information.

Last Wednesday morning at around 6:00am two patrolling officers discovered the dead body of 16 year-old Mohamed Arham inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhiraasathul Islamiyya.

His body was found with stab wounds in his neck, back and chest with blood all over his body and on the floor, as well as on the walls of the park.

Mohamed Arham was a student at grade 9 in Dharmavantha School when he died.

The Education Ministry, Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and police have condemned the attack on the boy.

The park in which he was found dead is known locally as ‘Lorenzo Park’, named after a Male’ gang called ‘Lorenzo’.

Minivan News understands that park is usually used by members or friends of the gang, and that it is very uncommon to find outside visitors sitting in the park.

Friends of Arham have said that he was in the park that night after all his friends left because he was too tired to go home, as he had just finished attending a camp that day.

Arham did not leave the park with his friends and might have fallen asleep in the park alone and assailants may have attacked him while he was asleep, according to some of Arham’s friends.

A friend of Arham’s told Minivan News that they were not sure why he was attacked or who attacked him, because he not had any issues with anyone recently and there was no warning of any attack.

‘’He must have been attacked between 2:00am to 6:00am that night,’’ he added. ‘’That time he would have been by himself in the park because everyone left around 2:00.’’

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Kulhudhufushi woman found unconscious after being stabbed, suffocated

An 18 year-old woman has been attacked by a sharp object yesterday in the island of Kulhudhufushi, Haa Dhaal Atoll.

The police said that the incident took place at around 4:00pm in the evening and the victim is being treated currently in Kulhudhufushi Regional Hospital. The woman sustained injuries to her left wrist.

According local media, the woman was attacked with a box cutter and those who had attacked her had attempted to suffocate her. She was found unconscious at a rarely used small road behind her house.

The woman was reportedly attacked by masked men after she had reported the theft of a mobile phone and an iPad to police. The police at the time arrested two suspects but later released them.

The Maldives Police Service has said that the case is currently under investigation.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

‘We don’t have guns but we can fight with our pens’: Hiriga

Attacks on five senior DhiTV senior officials and the stabbing of a Haveeru employee yesterday afternoon have sparked concern among media outlets that they could be subject to further attacks over their content.

DhiTV reported on its 2 o’clock news yesterday that alleged gang leader Ibrahim ‘Chika’ Nafiz  had been released to house arrest. Soon after the broadcast, a gang reportedly stormed DhiTV studios.

Three hours later a Haveeru printery worker left in a critical condition after being stabbed outside the building.

Police have not yet confirmed whether the two cases are connected, but arrested ten people yesterday evening suspected of involvement in the attacks, including Chika.

“He was arrested in his home last night,” said a police spokesperson, “and today the court gave us five days for further investigation.”

Chika will remain under police custody until the court hearing. Police have meanwhile launched a special operation to investigate the attacks.

The spokesperson said he did not know if the attacks were intended to be a direct message to the media, but said “this really shows how the situation is here.”

‘We will fight with our pens’

President of the Maldives Journalism Association (MJA) and Editor of Haveeru, Ahmed ‘Hiriga’ Zahir, said he believed the incidents were “direct attacks on the media.”

“The ruling party members are consistently blaming the media, and suddenly a gang leader leaves jail and attacks us,” Hiriga said, claiming there were political motives behind the attacks.

“The media is in a very bad situation, it is very vulnerable and young.”

Hiriga said he believed DhiTV and Haveeru were targeted because they are “the most vibrant media in this country” and the attacks were “certainly connected.”

He said the attackers had mentioned Haveeru when they entered the DhiTV building, and the police had been informed of this “but did not take enough precautions.”

Hiriga said he did “not want journalists to be afraid, but they are.”

He mentioned that some TV presenters were now “unwilling to appear on TV, and unwilling to report particular news items” because they were “very much afraid that their lives could be put in danger.”

“When law enforcement agencies fail, anything might happen at any time,” he said.

DhiTV CEO Yousuf Navaal said yesterday that “until we receive assurance [of our safety] that we can report this type of news, we will not cover it anymore.”

Hiriga however described Navaal’s approach as “not very professional”, especially since DhiTV had “asked Haveeru not to report on the issue either.

“The media should be one front and approach [these issues] as a collective, but this doesn’t happen,” Hiriga said, suggesting that Navaal was “reluctant” to report the story “because he has not been given enough confidence that the law is under control.”

Deputy Director General of TVM, Mohamed Asif, said the station had not taken extra security measures and were “hesitant and reluctant to report on these issues.”

Hiriga said media should not give in to intimidation: “We don’t have guns but we can fight with our pens!”

‘Chika’

DhiTV reported yesterday that Chika had been released to house arrest by the Department for Penitentiary and Rehabilitaion Service (DPRS).

State Minister for Home Affairs Ahmed Adil said the media had been reporting the wrong information, and “he was not released to house arrest”, but had in fact been taken to the DPRS for questioning two days ago.

Adil said the DPRS was investigating Chika and “he signed a paper saying he would cooperate and not leave his house.”

Spokesperson for the DPRS Moosa Rameez said Chika had been in the department’s rehabilitation programme for “six to seven months”, and referred Minivan News to DPRS Managing Director, Mohamed Rasheed.

However Rasheed said he did not want to comment on the issue.

A person familiar with the matter told Minivan News that Chika had been brought to Malé from Maafushi jail for an MRI scan. The source said it was common practice to bring prisoners to Malé when they require medical attention.

Police confirmed Chika had not been placed under house arrest, but would not say why he was in his house yesterday evening.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)