Tag: MC Hameed

Police to appeal against MC Hameed’s reinstatement

The Maldives Police Service has announced its decision to appeal the Civil Court ruling to reinstate former Chief Superintendent Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed who was dismissed by the institution’s Disciplinary Committee in August 2012.

A spokesperson told local media that no officers would be reinstated until the appeals process had been exhausted in the country’s apex courts.

The Police Disciplinary Board decided to relieve Hameed and Superintendent Ibrahim Adhnan of duty and to demote Superintendent ‘Lady’ Ibrahim Manik to Chief Inspector of Police, and to remove the disciplinary badge on his uniform.

Newspaper Haveeru at the time claimed that the decision was made by the Disciplinary Board on allegations that the three officers had “worked for the political benefit of a certain party” using their police roles.

The decision to reinstate was based on the precedent set by the ruling on former Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chair Fahmy Hassan, whose dismissal by parliament was recently reversed by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court ruling stated that if Fahmy Hassan was dismissed from the position without being investigated and proven guilty, as per the criminal justice procedure, then his dismissal was to be considered as double jeopardy.

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Civil Court orders police to reinstate Chief Superintendent Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed

The Civil Court has ordered the police to reinstate former Chief Superintendent Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed – one time head of police intelligence – who was dismissed by the institution’s Disciplinary Committee in August 2012.

The court ruling issued today on Hameed’s case declared that he was to be reinstated within 15 days of the order.  He is also to be given back payment of his salary within 30 days.

Hameed today told Minivan News that he understood the court order had called for his reinstatement to a rank equal to that which he held at the time of his dismissal.

The Police Disciplinary Board decided to relieve Hameed and Superintendent Ibrahim Adhnan of duty and to demote Superintendent ‘Lady’ Ibrahim Manik to Chief Inspector of Police, and to remove the disciplinary badge on his uniform.

Newspaper Haveeru at the time claimed that the decision was made by the Disciplinary Board on allegations that the three officers had “worked for the political benefit of a certain party” using their police roles.

Hameed, Adhnan and ‘Lady’ Ibrahim Manik were among only a few police senior officers who did not join the events of February 7, which saw mutinying police officers hand out riot gear to opposition demonstrators and launch an all-out assault on the main military headquarters. The state broadcaster was also stormed during the time of the contraversial transfer of power.

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MPs and Police respond to intel chiefs’ Nasheed assassination attempt allegations

Former Head of Intelligence Chief Superintendent ‘MC’ Mohamed Hameed has stated in his January 9 testimony to the parliament’s Executive Oversight Committee that the police intelligence department received information about two separate assassination plans against former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Hameed further alleged that MP ‘RedWave’ Ahmed Saleem had stored a “poisonous chemical” in his company warehouse in 2011 and that the intelligence department learned of plans to use this deadly chemical to assassinate the then president.

Speaking in the same committee, former military intelligence head Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam also claimed to have received information about an assassination attempt planned to have been carried out during an MNDF live-fire event.

Former Minister of Human Rights of the current administration Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed has also spoken in December 2012 of assassination plans made against Nasheed by politicians she had then referred to as X and Y. She has since revealed X to be Deputy Speaker of Parliament People’s Alliance (PA) MP Ahmed Nazim and Y to be independent MP Mohamed Nasheed.

Following the public release of these allegations, MP Nasheed, MP Saleem and the police institution have responded denying the allegations.

Not involved in any assassination plans: MP Nasheed

Independent MP Nasheed has published an article on his personal blog denying involvement in any assassination plans.

Nasheed wrote that he had never spoken with former Gender Minister Dhiyana of any plans to assassinate Nasheed.

Questioning whether Dhiyana had indeed stated that MP Nasheed had spoken to her of involvement in orchestrating a coup d’etat to topple the former administration, he denied having ever brought up such a subject with her. He furthermore stated that he did not believe Dhiyana would have made such a statement.

Dhiyana’s account, released as a booklet titled “Silent Enquiry: A Personal Memoir on the issue of the Transfer of Powers on the 7th of February 2012” does not accuse person “Y”, later identified as MP Nasheed, of having partaken in assassination plans.

It however stated that through conversation with MP Nasheed she had learnt that he had pledged support to then Vice President, current President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, while he had refused the offer of the post of Vice President “should Waheed ascend to power in the coming week.”

“A week before the now disputed resignation of President Nasheed, his Vice President had invited ‘Y’ to his residence for dinner. After dinner, when he was about to leave, when he was bending over to put on his shoes, the Vice President had bent over and whispered into his ears that things would be difficult in the coming week and whether ‘Y’ would help him. ‘Y’, not suspecting that anything out of the ordinary would happen in the coming week had assured the Vice President that he would indeed help him,” Dhiyana wrote.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim has so far not responded publicly to the allegations made against him.

Will take the matter to court: MP Saleem

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP ‘RedWave’ Ahmed Saleem released a statement on Monday claiming the public release of statements given by intelligence chiefs of police and the defence forces had caused losses worth millions to businesses in which he holds a stake.

In response to the allegations of his involvement in an assassination plan against Nasheed, Saleem stated that he intends to take legal action against a number of persons he perceives as being responsible for the loss caused to him.

Saleem stated that the parliament, MDP and individual persons were included in the entities against whom he would be filing cases in the Civil Court. He furthermore states his intention to lodge a complaint with police asking them to look into the “criminal activity of the committing of unlawful activities to destroy [his] business.”

Saleem denied ever having involvement in any plans to take the life of any person.

No records of assassination plans found: PC Riyaz

Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz was reported in local media as saying that there were no records of investigations having been undertaken into any suspected assassination attempts against Nasheed.

Riyaz stated that police had looked into the matter after the former police intelligence head gave his testimony to the parliament.

“We found no records of such an assassination attempt, and no indication that any investigation had been carried out on the matter. As a norm, if such serious intelligence information had been received, an investigation would definitely be undertaken,” Riyaz is reported to have said.

Riyaz further stated that the police had now been instructed to look into the matter further and to determine why no official records had been lodged if such critical information had indeed been uncovered by the police.

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Former police intelligence head sues for “unlawful dismissal”

The Former head of the Police Intelligence Department Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed has filed a lawsuit in the Civil Court against the Maldives Police Service, claiming that his dismissal from the institution was unlawful.

Hameed was dismissed from his position over allegations that he provided confidential information to an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) report written by the former government’s Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam and National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Hameed said he had signed and filed documents relating to the case in the Civil Court on Saturday (August 25).

“I have noted that the dismissal was against the constitution and the Police Act,’’ he said. ‘’We have noted many articles that were violated in the dismissal.”

Earlier this month, the Police Disciplinary Board decided to relieve Chief Superintendent ‘MC’ Mohamed Hameed and Superintendent Ibrahim Adhnan of duty.

At the same time, the Disciplinary Board also announced it was demoting Superintendent ‘Lady’ Ibrahim Manik to Chief Inspector of Police, removing the disciplinary badge on his uniform.

in June, Police arrested Hameed over allegations he had contributed to the MDP’s report, the publication of which was derided by the government as an “act of terrorism”.  The Criminal Court later extended his detention period to five days before releasing him on the grounds that it did “not believe the detention should be extended any further.”

The Criminal Court’s decision to detain Hameed was appealed by his family in the High Court, which ruled that there was no grounds to rule an extension of his detention was unlawful at the time.

Hameed’s lawyer Ismail Visham argued during the High Court hearing that his client had been subjected to discrimination.

Visham told the court that there were police officers accused of more serious crimes who had not been detained, alleging that in one instance, a senior colleague presently stood accused of attempting to rape a woman.

He further contended that the Criminal Court judge had extended Hameed’s detention period not based on police evidence, but the judge’s own view.  Visham contended that Hameed had therefore lost the right to respond to the accusations against him.

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Police Superintendents ‘MC’ Hameed and Anees relieved of duty

The Police Disciplinary Board has decided to relieve Chief Superintendent ‘MC’ Mohamed Hameed and Superintendent Ibrahim Adhnan of duty, according to a statement issued by police.

The Disciplinary Board has also decided to demote Superintendent ‘Lady’ Ibrahim Manik to Chief Inspector of Police, and to remove the disciplinary badge on his uniform.

The statement said that the Disciplinary Board summoned the senior officers before making the decision, and that they were given the opportunity to speak in their defense as well as appoint lawyers.

However, the statement did not specify the allegations against the officers, or why the Disciplinary Board took action against them.

Newspaper Haveeru claimed that the decision was made by the Disciplinary Board on allegations that the three officers had “worked for the political benefit of a certain party” using their police roles.

Hameed, Adhnan and ‘Lady’ Ibrahim Manik were among only a few police senior officers who did not join the events of February 7, which saw mutinying police hand out riot gear to opposition demonstrators and launch an all-out assault on the main military headquarters. The state broadcaster was also stormed.

In June, Anees sued the Maldives Police Service seeking compensation for medical treatment of injuries sustained after mutinying police officers allegedly attacked him in Republic Square and inside police headquarters on February 7.

Adhnan Anees, Ibrahim Manik and Chief Superintendent Mohamed Jinah were among senior officers allegedly assaulted on February 7.

Meanwhile on June 14, police arrested Chief Superintendent Hameed, former head of police intelligence, following his contribution to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s report into the controversial transfer of power on February 7.

Following reports that police who cooperated with the Ameen-Aslam report were being rounded up and detained, police initially denied allegations of a “witch hunt” and issued a statement accusing the media of “circulating baseless and false reports”. However court warrants for the arrest of Hameed and Staff Sergeant Ahmed Naseer were subsequently leaked.

The Criminal Court arrest warrant stated that Hameed was accused of “misusing” or leaking information acquired through his position for “the political gain of a particular group”, and participating in the compilation of the “misleading” Ameen-Aslam report, which undermines “the public’s respect for the security services.”

It justified his detention on the grounds that Hameed might influence witnesses and attempt to get rid of evidence as “others are suspected of involvement in the case.”

Police issued a statement that day confirming that Hameed had been arrested on charges of leaking “important information collected by the Maldives Police Services intelligence related to national security” as well as providing “untrue and false information” intended to benefit a specific [political] party, which could pose a threat to national security and create “divisions between the police and the public.”

Hameed’s actions were in violation of the Police Act, the statement insisted.

Following his detention in July, the family of Chief Superintendent Hameed expressed concern over his detention and noted that he was widely respected in the force as “a man of principle”. He has been in the service for over 17 years and has a masters in policing, intelligence and counter-terrorism.

Following the raid and extrajudicial dismantling of the MDP’s protest site at Usfasgandu on May 29, Hameed tweeted: ” Called a ‘baaghee’ [traitor] on the road twice today. Rightly so when our own actions are unjustifiable and thuggery like!”

After his dismissal last night, Hameed tweeted: “Ayan: Daddy, why were you fired from your job? My response: Because I did not join the bad guys.

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CMAG expresses hopes that no action be taken to “negatively affect” inquiry commission

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group’s (CMAG) has released a statement emphasising its hope that “no action should be taken by any party or authority that would negatively affect the functioning of the Commission of National Inquiry or the ability of individuals to provide testimony to the Commission,” following its teleconference yesterday.

The Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) was established by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to investigae the events surrounding the controversial  transfer of power in February.

The statement follows a week in which the fallout from alternative reports of these events – two from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and one from the original CNI – saw the arrest of the Chief of Police Intelligence Mohamed Hameed for his alleged involvement in the compilation of the MDP report.

The Criminal Court decided to release Hameed this week after extending his initial detention period by five days.

On Tuesday, MDP MP Mariyam Didi was also brought before police for questioning in relation to events to the unrest that followed the police’s May 29 search of the Usfasgandu protest camp.

The MDP released a statement alleging that Didi’s questioning was related to the release of her own report which had argued President Waheed should face prosecution for his involvement in the events of February 7.

“The MDP strongly believes this is a cowardly act to intimidate people who are willing to come forward and provide reliable information to the newly composed CoNI,” said the MDP statement.

The police told local media that the timing of the questioning had been planned for the Thursday before but had been rescheduled at Didi’s request.

Former President Nasheed had also suggested to local media that the delays to the CNI’s reform was a sign of the government’s reluctance to do so.

The original deadline for the changes had been May 31, although the MDP and the government failed to agree on the final member of the commission until June 4.

President Office spokesman Abbas Adil Riza told Minivan News today that he did not believe the CMAG statement was referring to such incidents.

“The police are independent and have not been conducting any unlawful activities,” said Abbas.

Abbas said that the government welcomed CMAG’s words of encouragement regarding the CNI, adding that it was pleased the Commonwealth had “finally accepted the roadmap talks.”

The talks appeared to have been scuttled following a three day retreat at Bandos, at which parties in the ruling coalition presented the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) with a list of 30 demands to “resolve the problem of public disturbances”.

They included demands that the MDP “stop practicing black magic and sorcery”, “stop the use of sexual and erotic tools”, and “not walk in groups of more than 10”.

CMAG’s statement today said that it “welcomed and encouraged efforts underway to establish a Maldivian-led dialogue process among key political leaders, which could promote high-level discussions on issues of national concern, including those identified in the Political Party Talks agenda.”

CMAG also welcomed the reformation of the CNI, instigated at the behest of both the international community, the MDP and civil society groups.

The statement outlined the reasons for the formation of the group before expressing its hope that the CNI was now in a position to fulfil its objectives.

“The Commission of National Inquiry was established to undertake an investigation into the circumstances that led to the transfer of power in Maldives on 7 February 2012. This was to enable an independent and impartial investigation to be conducted that would be credible, rigorous and provide confidence to the Maldivian people.”

“The Group noted that the reformed Commission had been formally established on 17 June 2012 and was now operational. It expressed hope that the Commission would be fully able to carry out its work in its own best judgement, and urged all concerned to extend their full co-operation to the Commission.”

The reformed commission includes the three original members – Ismail Shafeeu, Dr Ibrahim Yasir, and Dr Ali Fawaz Shareef – with the addition of retired Singaporean Supreme Court Judge G.P. Selvam and Ahmed ‘Gahaa’ Saeed who was nominated by former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The CNI yesterday announced that anyone wishing to give information to the commission can do so up until June 30. It also welcomed evidence from those who had spoken to the commission before the reforms were enacted.

The commission stated that the evidence and identities of witnesses would be protected.

At a press conference this morning, the CNI told local media that the government would allocate the four Maldivian members “some sort of allowance”, having worked without remuneration up to this date.

The expenses of Selvam, it was revealed, will be borne by the Commonwealth.

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