Tag: Hajj

State produces evidence and witnesses against Maleesha Hajj Group owner

The Prosecutor General has produced witness and evidence obtained through police investigation against Ismail Abdul Latheef, the owner of the ‘Maleesha Hajj Group’.

Latheef is accused of fraudulently obtaining funds from Maldivians who paid his company to go to Mecca last year to perform the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage.

According to the local media, the prosecution produced the evidence of 87 persons who were defrauded, two persons who worked for Maleesha who collected the funds from people, and bank statements belonging to Latheef.

Latheef’s lawyer told the court that the Maleesha Hajj Group was not on the list of local Hajj Groups selected by the Islamic Ministry to send people to Mecca, and said it had not up to date explained why the Maleesha Hajj Group was not permitted this time while it had been the previous two years.

The lawyer told the judge that the Maleesha Hajj Group did try to take the people through Sri Lanka because the Maldives did not allow it, and said Latheef and his family was still trying to find a way to send those people who had paid the company.

Latheef’s lawyer also said he would explain how the funds collected from the people were used.

Police began searching for the 42 year-old in late September after it was alleged that he had defrauded 175 people of MVR 12 million (US$778,000), after they made payments to the company.

Latheef was reported to police after people who had made payments realised that the group’s office had been closed for days without any response or notification.

On October 2, Interpol issued a red notice to locate and apprehend Latheef. He was arrested by Sri Lankan police while he was in the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo.

Attending the Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Clients of the company were not able to go to Mecca this year to perform the religious obligation.

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Maleesha Hajj Group owner denies fraud charges in court

Maleesha Hajj Group owner Islmail Abdul Latheef ,who is being accused of fraudulently collecting funds from Maldivians who wanted to perform Hajj in Mecca last year, has denied charges against him in the Criminal Court.

Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed today asked Ismail Abdul Latheef to state the reasons as to why he had denied the charges. Latheef requested he be given time to respond.

Judge Abdulla Mohamd asked Ismail Abdul Latheef to state his reasons during the next hearing held.

At today’s hearing the state was given the opportunity to produce evidence against him, however the state attorney refused to produce the evidence before Ismail Abdul Latheef stated his reasons as to why he was denying the charges.

The PG has alleged that Latheef had fraudulently obtained MVR 8 million (US$519,000 ) from many people after they made payments to the Maleesha Hajj Group to travel to Mecca to perform Hajj.

Latheef was arrested in Colombo, Sri Lanka in November 2012, a month after police issued an Interpol red notice to locate and apprehend him. Authorities were reported to have arrested Latheef while he was in the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo.

Hajj groups are authorised by the government to provide transport and accommodation for pilgrims in Mecca, as well as offering guidance in helping them complete the religious rituals.

At the time, Sri Lankan police told local newspaper Haveeru that Abdul Latheef was suspected of being involved in a Sri Lankan money laundering ring as well, and that he was also suspected of collecting money from Sri Lankans.

Latheef’s father is the head of the Athama Hajj Group.

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Government to establish state-owned Hajj group

The government will establish the state-owned Maldives Hajj Corporation Limited following a recommendation by the Cabinet Economic Committee, the President’s Office has confirmed.

President Dr Mohamed Waheed on Thursday (May 16) opted to form the company with 100 percent government shares.

The announcement of the company’s foundation follows recent legal wrangling in the Maldives’ courts over whether the Islamic Ministry should be forced to reevaluate several unsuccessful bids by local Hajj groups wishing to offer pilgrimages.  

The case was filed on the back of concerns at alleged corruption within the current system.

Select Hajj groups are authorised by the government to provide transport and accommodation for pilgrims in Mecca, as well as offering guidance in helping them complete the religious rituals.

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High Court overturns lower court ruling on Hajj quota controversy

The High Court has overturned a lower court’s ruling on the Hajj quota controversy, in which the Civil Court ordered the Islamic Ministry to reevaluate several unsuccessful bids presented by local Hajj groups offering pilgrimages this year.

The Maldives’ quota of 874 pilgrims was divided among eight companies selected by the Islamic Ministry, while the tenders of Al-manasik Private Limited, Al-fathuh Hajj And Umra Group, Al-Safa Private Limited, Classic Hajj and Umra Private Limited were dismissed.

The Islamic Ministry previously told local media that the proposals were rejected because they had not followed the procedures, but were at first accepted by mistake and later dismissed when the ministry realised the proposals were not compliant.

The High Court ruling issued yesterday stated that if people were allowed to do things in violation of procedures, this would make way for corruption.

High Court Judges Abdul Gany Mohamed, Abdulla Hameed and Shuaib Hussain Zakariyya presided over the case and the bench was chaired by Judge Abdul Gany Mohamed.

The ruling of Abdul Gany dissented from the ruling of the other two judges, which formed the majority opinion.

On April 16, the Civil Court ordered the Islamic Ministry reevaluate the proposals of four groups it previously rejected from arranging Hajj pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia this year for Maldivians.

The lawsuit was first filed at the Civil Court by Almanasik Hajj Group, AlFath Hajj And Umra Group, Alsafa Hajj Group, Classic Hajj and Umrah Group.

Performing the annual Hajj pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime is one of the five pillars of Islam.

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Group storms home of Maleesha Hajj Group owner over fraud allegations

A group of people forced their way into the home of Maleesha Hajj Group owner Ismail Abdul Latheef yesterday (April 16) to confront him over allegations his company had defrauded 175 Maldivians seeking to perform the Hajj pilgrimage last year.

Latheef, 42, allegedly collected MVR 68,000 (US$4,400) each from the 175 would-be pilgrims before fleeing the country.

Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News today that police were informed about the incident at about 9:22pm yesterday and moved quickly to the scene where the protesters had gathered.

“In a short amount of time, police officers attended the area and dispersed the crowed,” Haneef said, adding that no confrontations occurred between protesters and police.

Police also confirmed to Minivan News that no arrests were made during last night’s gathering.

The protesters entered the house and yelled at Latheef’s father, who chose not to respond to the group, remaining silent, according to local media.

Some people have claimed Latheef was inside the house when they went in, accusing him of hiding somewhere inside the residence, local media reported.

In October 2012, the Saudi Gazette reported that Latheef’s father was in Mecca performing his 35th pilgrimage.

Hajj groups are authorised by the government to provide transport and accommodation for pilgrims in Mecca, as well as offering guidance in helping them complete the religious rituals.

Latheef’s father is the head of the Athama Hajj Group.

Latheef was meanwhile arrested in Colombo, Sri Lanka in November 2012, a month after police issued an Interpol red notice to locate and apprehend him.  Authorities were reported to have arrested Latheef while he was at the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo.

He was released from remand detention and placed under house arrest in January.

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Civil Court orders Islamic Ministry to reconsider Hajj group selection

The Civil Court has ordered the Islamic Ministry to reevaluate the proposals of four groups it previously rejected from arranging Hajj pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia this year for Maldivians.

The court ruled that the tenders of Al-manasik Private Limited, Al-fathuh Hajj And Umra Group, Al-Safa Private Limited and Classic Hajj And Umra Private Limited, should all now be reviewed by the country’s religious authorities.

The case was filed at the Civil Court by the four Hajj groups, which claimed that the Islamic Ministry had failed to comply and follow the correct procedures in selecting local companies to take Maldivians to Saudi Arabia.

The Civil Court ruled that the Islamic Ministry had followed the correct procedures in its decision to reject the tender proposals submitted by the four groups.

State Islamic Minister Mohamed Didi today confirmed to local media that a decision had already been taken to appeal the ruling at the High Court.

Didi also claimed that the Islamic Ministry had already divided the Hajj quota among eight groups, adding that any changes would create more problems for pilgrims.

On Sunday (April 14), Didi expressed concern to Minivan News that Maldivians might not be able to make the Hajj pilgrimage this year if the court case contesting the ministry’s choice of eight groups was not resolved in time.

The Civil Court issued a stay order or temporary injunction (Dhivehi) on Thursday (April 11), instructing the Islamic Ministry not to proceed with the chosen Hajj groups pending a ruling on the legality of its selection process.

Didi said at the time that the Islamic Ministry would soon have to sign an official agreement with the Saudi Arabian government to finalise the approved Hajj Groups.

“We have already sent the names of Hajj Groups that we have allowed and the Saudi government will call us to sign the agreement any moment now.  If we had to say no we can’t sign the agreement because we are not sure these Hajj Groups would be able to take people to Saudi Arabia this year as planned, then the Saudi government might not give us another chance,” Didi explained.

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Government to form institution providing pilgrimage services

The Islamic Ministry has said it will form the “Maldivian People’s Hajj Fund”, an institution that will work to provide affordable pilgrimage services.

In a press conference Islamic Affairs Minister Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said the purpose of the institution was to provide people with the opportunity to go on the hajj, by paying a smaller amount of money.

He also added that work was under way in preparing the documents needed to be presented to the cabinet to discuss the matter.

Shaheem added that he had already discussed about the proposal with President Mohamed Waheed Hassan and Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad.

Shaheem further said that even if a person deposited money to the fund, it would not necessarily mean that he would be granted with a placement from the quota of pilgrimages that the Maldives receives from Saudi Arabia.

According to the Minister, the institution would be formed on the principles of a similar institution set up in Malaysia.

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Lost Maldivian pilgrim found inside Grand Mosque

A Maldivian pilgrim with the Sisilfaru Hajj group reported lost in the late afternoon on Friday was found inside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca.

According to the local Dhi-Islam news website team in Saudi Arabia, Sarah Adam, of G. Lishan, was found safe and unharmed on Saturday night by the second-in-charge of the Sisilfaru Group, Ibrahim Manik.

Sarah was separated from the group and lost at the plain of Mount Arafat on Friday. Pilgrims are required to spend the afternoon of the ninth day of Dhul Hajja at the Mount Arafat in order to complete the Hajj.

Some 1,000 Maldivian pilgrims with eight groups are currently in Mecca for the Hajj and are due to return on November 3, 4 and 8.

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Interpol red notice issued for arrest of ‘Maleesha Hajj Group’ head

Interpol has issued a red notice to apprehend 42 year-old Ismail Abdul Latheef, the head of the ‘Maleesha Hajj and Umrah Group’ who is being sought on suspicion of fraudulently collecting funds from Hajj pilgrims.

According to local newspapers, the company’s office remained closed and the contact numbers given to the persons who paid are not in use. Clients of the company have no hope of getting to Mecca this year, according to reports.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told newspaper Sun that police had given Interpol information about Latheef two days ago.

The owner of the business allegedly collected MVR 68,000 (US$4400) from 175 persons who wished to go to Mecca this year to fulfill the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Based on this amount, Latheef is thought to have fraudulently obtained up to MVR 11.9 million (US$77,0000).

Police have previously said that attempts are ongoing to locate and summon Latheef for investigation.

According to police, Latheef’s whereabouts are unknown. It was possible that he had fled the country, they stated.

Authorities have claimed that 52 complaints have so far been received over alleged payments made to the Maleesha Hajj and Umra Group.

Some people who paid to the company have also complained at different media outlets.

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