Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Alhan Fahmy has been summoned by police in connection with the alleged blackmailing of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed using footage of the judge having sex with two foreign women said to be prostitutes.
Police confirmed to Minivan News that the Feydhoo MP had been asked to produce himself at police headquarters tonight at 8:30pm for questioning. They declined to provide further information on the matter.
Speaking to Minivan News today, Alhan Fahmy’s sister and lawyer Nooruban Fahmy said Fahmy had no insight at to why police had summoned him.
‘’We do not know any information yet,’’ she said. “We will know more tonight.’’
Fahmy has meanwhile told local media that the police summon chit states he is to be questioned over a matter involving corruption, blackmail and intimidation.
The MP tweeted a screenshot of a text message he claimed had been sent to his mobile phone by Superintendent of Police Mohamed Riyaz. The text read: ‘’Alhan, will make sure you are fully famed (sic) for blackmailing Justice Ali Hameed. You don’t know who we are.’’
On July 4, police formally notified the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), the Prosecutor General and President Mohamed Waheed Hassan regarding their investigation into the case.
The existence of a video footage allegedly involving Justice Hameed indulging in adultery came into media limelight following the arrest of Ahmed Faiz – a senior Council Member of President Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihaad Party (GIP) and former Project Advisor at the Housing Ministry.
Following the arrest, Faiz was dismissed from his government position and the Spokesperson of President’s Office Masood Imad – who is also a GIP council member – denounced any links with the government regarding the video.
Still images from the sex tape, allegedly showing the judge committing adultery with an unidentified foreign woman, are meanwhile circulating on social media networks.
While fornication outside marriage is a crime under Maldivian law and subject to 100 lashes – a punishment disproportionately meted out to women – the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has so far rejected the recommendation of its investigating sub committee to suspend Justice Hameed, citing “lack of evidence”.
Police have summoned the mother of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ali Waheed for questioning as part of a joint investigation with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Zuhra Abdulla of Honey Moon House in Thoddu, Alifu Alifu Atoll was summoned to Thoddu Island Council, police confirmed to Minivan News.
According to a police spokesperson, Zuhra invoked her right to remain silent.
Speaking to Minivan News, Ali Waheed confirmed that his mother was summoned to the island council by police for the investigation of a case concerning him.
He alleged the investigation was political and an attempt to distract from what was “a really happy day for MDP” following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s submission of his candidacy for the 2013 presidential election.
“[Police] are concerned and worried because they have failed to fulfill their promise to their supporters to jail former President Mohamed Nasheed,” Ali Waheed contended.
”We will not be cooperative to any political investigation,” he said. ”These are little sticks thrown at us because today Nasheed had filed his candidacy at the Elections Commission”.
On February 20, 2013, police declared they were investigating a corruption case involving Ali Waheed in which his mother purchased a land in Male’ for MVR 7.938 million (US$514,000) in October 2011.
At the time, President of the ACC Hassan Luthfee confirmed the institution was also investigating a case concerning the Thoddoo MP.
“We have earlier received complaints regarding the MP taking bribes following his defection from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to the MDP. There were also claims that he utilised the money he received as bribes to buy a house. We are investigating the matter,” Luthfee said.
In August 2011, Ali Waheed won a beachfront house for Rf4.6 million (US$300,000), bidding Rf3020 per square foot. At the same time, Ali Waheed’s wife also won a house from the 36 beachfront residential plots on Hulhumale, bidding Rf 3020 per square foot, for Rf 4,749,651 (US$310,000).
Waheed and his wife were the third highest bidders for the property, under the Hulhulmale Development Corporation (HDC)’s housing programme.
The defection of Thimarafushi MP Ahmed Shareef to President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ithihaad Party (GIP) on Monday was a “betrayal”, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Nihan has declared.
Nihan said that with rumours circulating over the last two to three weeks concerning Shareef’s planned defection, PPM members within Thimarafushi were concerned about the MP’s move, as well as expressing wider criticisms about the conduct of President Waheed and the GIP.
However, he stressed that the PPM remained “very much committed” to the coalition government backing President Waheed. The present government came to power following the controversial transfer of power on February 7 last year, which saw President Mohamed Nasheed resign from office following a mutiny by sections of the police and military.
Nihan said following Shareef’s decision to defect from the party, rumours continued to circulate that another PPM MP was potentially considering joining with President Waheed ahead of September’s scheduled elections.
He said that the PPM was committed to supporting President Waheed’s government “for the sake of the nation”, despite calls from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) earlier this month to support an interim government ahead of September’s elections in order to secure “free and fair” voting.
“I strongly believe that PPM will continue to [President Waheed’s] government, but at the end of the day [the GIP] are the ones who are playing games here,” he said.
Criticisms
Despite the party pledging its ongoing support to the current government, the PPM has publicly levelled some criticisms at President Waheed this month about his alleged use of state resources for campaigning, as well as his decision to sack Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed as home minister.
The government at the time claimed that Jameel’s position was terminated over his decision to stand directly against President Waheed in September’s election as running mate to PPM presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen, which it claimed has created a conflict of interest.
Yameen was later quoted during a PPM rally that cabinet ministers in a coalition government are not obliged to assist the president’s election campaign.
He also claimed that PPM has not been given the number of government posts promised by Dr Waheed more than a year ago with the formation of the coalition government.
Nihan claimed that despite these concerns, the PPM had continued to back President Waheed’s government, adding that with the party having the second highest number of MPs within parliament behind the MDP, it had “defended” the president government in a number of crucial votes of late.
“Since February 7, 2012, we have been the key party in securing votes for Dr Waheed,” he said, adding that the “majority” of supporters who had welcomed President Waheed to various islands would have been members of the PPM.
However, with the defection of MP Shareef to GIP, Nihan claimed that that the party and its supporters would be concerned should any more of its elected representatives be asked to join the GIP.
“We hope [Presdent Waheed] will not take any more MPs from the party,” he said.
Speaking to local media today on his decision to defect to the GIP, MP Shareef said he had opted to change parties in a move he said would “most benefit” his constituents.
“I have decided to join President Waheed’s party. The party will carry out the arrangements,” he was quoted as saying by Sun Online.
GIP Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza was not responding to calls at time of press. Meanwhile, Minivan News was awaiting a response from the coalition’s media team on Shareef’s decision.
Coalition backing
Ahead of September’s election, the government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has announced that it will join the religious conservative Adhaalath Party and the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) in a coalition backing President Waheed.
Dr Waheed’s Gaumee Ithihaad Party (GIP) currently has 3,930 registered members while the DRP has 21,411 members, according to the Elections Commission (EC). The DRP is also the third largest party in parliament while the GIP has no representation in either the legislature or local councils.
The government-aligned Jumhoree Party (JP) meanwhile announced earlier this month that no decision has been made on whether to join a coalition backing President Dr Mohamed Waheed in September’s election, as it prepares to officially choose its presidential candidate and leader.
Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential primary candidate Umar Naseer has claimed that an MP involved in the illegal drug business is attempting to “frame” him.
Speaking at a rally on Friday night (March 15), Naseer claimed that the unnamed MP had tried to ruin his reputation by sending police into his offices looking for contraband.
On Saturday night (March 16), Naseer then posted on both his Facebook and Twitter page that someone had tried to frame him “but I was not in the car I was delivering a speech in Miladhoo”.
Asked what Naseer was referring to, a police source told Minivan News today that a bottle of alcohol had been found in a car belonging to Naseer’s wife when searched by police yesterday.
“Last night the driver of the car had parked after there had been some sort of accident caused by someone on the back seat.
“At that time, the driver found a bottle of alcohol within the car and reported it to the police. We took the driver, questioned him and released him,” the source claimed.
Speaking in regard to the alcohol allegedly found in the car, Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed that a bottle had been found and the case was still under investigation.
“We received a report from a driver of a vehicle stating that there was a bottle of alcohol in the car. Police went to the car, searched it and took the vehicle,” Haneef said.
Speaking in front of a giant display of a mosque set up for his campaign on Friday, Naseer said that he did not partake in acts involving illegal drugs.
“A serving parliament member who is involved in the illegal drug business is attempting to frame me.
“He tried to ruin my reputation by sending police to my business offices in the pretence of looking for illegal substances. I do not get involved in such acts,” he claimed.
Despite Naseer’s claims, when Minivan News asked Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef on Tuesday whether police had searched his offices, Haneef denied they had.
“I will not name the MP, I do not need to name him here. He is trying to hide the relations he has with gangs and his involvement in the illegal drug business,” Naseer claimed.
“If I, Umar Naseer, get elected, MPs cannot hide behind their privileges act and run illegal activities. I will take legal action against them,” he added.
Both Umar Naseer and Abdulla Yameen are currently campaigning to win the PPM’s presidential candidate slot for the upcoming presidential elections to be held in September this year.
People say Yameen bathes in mineral water: Umar Naseer
Speaking to crowds at the artificial beach in Male’ on Friday, Naseer claimed that “unlike Yameen” he is an ordinary citizen and not related to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
In regard to Abdulla Yameen – who is also contending in the PPM presidential primary – Naseer claimed that his fellow contender plays “80 percent in defence”.
“We heard our brother MP [Ahmed] Nihan speaking at Yameen’s campaign rally. All he did was try to denounce what the public says about Yameen.
“Nihan said that although people allege Yameen has ties with gangs and gang violence it is not true. He then said that although people say Yameen even bathes with mineral water, that isn’t true either,” Naseer stated.
In response to the PPM presidential primary candidate’s claims, a spokesperson for Abdulla Yameen’s ‘Yageen’ campaign team told local media on Saturday that Naseer had made slanderous and “blatantly untruthful” statements about Yameen during the rally.
The spokesperson, PPM MP Shifaq Mufeed, said that the purpose of such statements was to damage Yameen’s credibility amongst his supporters.
Umar Naseer was not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.
A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting Maldivian Democratic Party MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, a year after the alleged assault took place.
Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef told local media that the man was arrested on 4 March 2013 in relation to the assault that took place on 7 February 2012.
According to local media, police have been investigating the videos of the unrest that followed the controversial change of power in February 2012.
The police have been criticised by various institutions for a failure to investigate several incidents that took place on February 7 and 8, 2012.
The Maldives Police Service has this week sent the case of two suspects arrested over the murder of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP and Religious Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali to the Prosecutor General’s (PG’s) Office.
According to Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz’s twitter feed, files on the two suspects were sent to the PG’s Office yesterday.
The two suspects were later identified by the police as Hussain Humam Ahmed of Henveiru Lobby and Ali Shan of Henveiru Hicost.
Just last week, a Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officer was also reported to have been arrested in connection with the Afrasheem investigation. However, the police and MNDF have yet to officially confirm the reports.
The Maldives Police Service has said that current policy when providing information regarding the investigation of Dr Afrasheem was to withhold all details from media until official press conferences on the case were held.
At the last conference held on December 4, Commissioner Riyaz said that the murder of Dr Afrasheem was well-planned, insisting the attack was politically motivated and funded.
Riyaz alleged that assassins were thought to have been offered MVR 4 million (US$260,000) for the attack.
In a presentation at the time, the police commissioner claimed that 11 suspects had been arrested in connection to the case so far – although three were later released.
He said that 200 items had been collected by police for use as forensic and digital evidence.
“Over 500 hours of CCTV footage have been analysed, more than 100 people have been interviewed and about 13,000 phone call recordings have been analysed out of which 12,000 were from one single tower,” Riyaz claimed at the time.
Afrasheem was killed on October 1. His wife discovered his body lying on the staircase of their home.
Dr Afrasheem was elected to parliament in 2009 as a member of the then-opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP). Following a split within the former opposition party, Afrasheem sided with the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), which was established by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Widely considered in the country an Islamic moderate, Dr Afrasheem took outspoken and controversial positions on issues such as the permissibility of playing music, and praying next to the deceased.
Police have arrested four suspects in their investigation into the murder of Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP Dr Afrasheem Ali.
The member for Ungoofaaru constituency in Raa Atoll was murdered on Monday night shortly after returning home from appearing on the TVM show, “Islamee Dhiriulhun” (Islamic Life).
The show finished around 11:00pm. Afrasheem’s body was discovered by his wife at the bottom of the stairs of their apartment building shortly after midnight.
The MP had been hit four times in the back of the head and a chunk of his skull was missing. He also suffered stab wounds to the chest and neck, according to reports at the time. He was buried on Tuesday after Asr prayers with full state honours.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Hassan Habeeb in a press briefing today revealed that three men and one woman had been arrested, but declined to identify them as it could “hinder the ongoing investigation.”
Habeeb urged the public to provide any information relating to the murder case. He said police were particularly interested in speaking to anybody who had seen Dr Afrasheem or his car between 10pm to 11pm the night he was murdered.
He also declined to confirm reports appearing within local media that the arrested female was a member of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
MDP activist Mariyam Naifa was arrested in Male’s Dolphin Cafe on Tuesday night, and will appear in court at 7:00pm on Wednesday. Naifa’s lawyer said she was arrested in connection to intelligence received by police in the Afrasheem case. Supporters began a campaign for her release on social media.
“We are not arresting people based on their political affiliations,” Habeeb insisted during today’s press conference.
Meanwhile, police on Wednesday conducted a search of the MDP’s protest camp at Usfasgandu. Police did not confirm if the search of the site with metal detectors was related to the death of Afrasheem. However MDP MP Eva Abdulla, who was at the site when police arrived, claimed an officer had informed her that the area was being searched in connection with the Afrasheem case.
Police on May 29 raided the site on the pretext that it was being used for the practice of black magic, discovering what they claimed was black magic paraphernalia and a packet of condoms.
Police meanwhile today disputed allegations in local media that they had made a decision to withdraw MP Afrasheem’s security shortly before his death.
Deputy Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed told reporters that Afrasheem had contacted him on September 5 requesting security be provided.
According to local newspaper Haveeru, Deputy Commissioner Waheed said Afrasheem had called for police protection twice as of September 22, but had then informed him “that I’m quite cool and relaxed now.”
Waheed said Afrasheem had not elaborated as to why he had requested protection in the first place, claiming only that he was experiencing “trouble” from certain people.
Condemning the attack
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has condemned Dr Afrasheem’s murder, “the first MP to have been killed [amid] constant political tensions in the Maldives [that] have led to many serious outbreaks of violence.”
“The death is the latest and most tragic act of violence in a country that has been in a political crisis since the start of the year,” the IPU stated.
“The organisation is seriously concerned of reports that other MPs are receiving death threats, including through social media channels such as Twitter. A number of Maldivian MPs are registered with the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians because of the violence, intimidation and political harassment they are suffering. The IPU will be monitoring them and following up on developments in Maldives very closely to help ensure their safety,” the international group stated.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed, currently campaigning in the southern atolls of the country, condemned Afrasheem’s murder and called for people to embrace the moderate Islamic views of the murdered religious scholar.
Local media reported that the MDP held a minute’s silence during its rally on Kolamaafushi in Gaa Alif Atoll.
UN Resident Coordinator Andrew Cox issued a statement calling for “mourning, reflection, and national unity.”
“Dr. Afrasheem distinguished himself in many ways, as a public servant, an accomplished scholar and as a member of parliament. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues in the People’s Majlis,” the statement read.
Amnesty International condemned the “shocking act of violence”.
“We call on the Maldives authorities to ensure that the investigation into the killing meets international human rights standards, and that no suspect is ill-treated or tortured,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Researcher on the Maldives.
“Given the current tense climate in the Maldives, all political actors must show restraint and ensure that this killing does not lead to more violence,” Faiz stated.
MP of the government-aligned Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), Dr Afrasheem Ali, was brutally stabbed to death outside his home on Monday night.
The member for Ungoofaaru constituency in Raa Atoll was murdered after returning home from appearing on the TVM show “Islamee Dhiriulhun” (Islamic Life) with Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Qubad Aboobakuru.
The show finished around 11:00pm, and Afrasheem’s body was discovered by his wife at the bottom of the stairs of their apartment building shortly after midnight.
The MP had been stabbed four times in the back of the head and a chunk of his skull was missing, according to reports on VTV. He also suffered stab wounds to the chest and neck.
The MP was rushed to ADK hospital where he was pronounced dead. The hospital was placed under heavy security.
Others present at the hospital in addition to police officers and citizens included former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, his daughter and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dhunya Maumoon, his half-brother and People’s Alliance (PA) leader Abdulla Yameen, Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, Deputy of the PPM Umar Naseer, Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb, Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Reeko Moosa Manik, and a large number of MPs.
Much of the opposition’s senior contingent left for campaigning in the southern atolls yesterday, however the murder was widely condemned on twitter by its officials including Moosa, MP Sameer and the party’s UK Spokesperson Dr Farah Faizal.
In a live press conference shortly after 3:00am, Police Commissioner Riyaz called for restraint.
“I call on all to show restraint. I further call on all to not blame anyone at this time, and to not incite further acts in relation to this,” Riyaz stated.
Speaker Shahid – a DRP member – spoke from the hospital, announcing that parliament would be postponed until Wednesday.
“This will be observed as a national sorrow. I extend sincere condolences to Afrasheem’s family. I hope we can all act in unity in these sad times. I call on the investigative forces to solve this case and find those responsible for this heinous crime at the earliest possible time,” Shahid said.
“Dr Afrasheem Ali was very sincere in his work at the Majlis, and was honest and assertive. We always received his cooperation in the work of Majlis. We have lost a valuable son of the Maldives. May god bless his soul and grant him paradise.”
In a statement, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs noted Dr Afrasheem’s “valuable services”.
“The Ministry sends condolences to the family and prays the deceased is granted paradise. Minister Sheik Shaheem Mohamed Ali Saeed calls on the authorities to give the harshest possible punishment to those who have committed this brutal crime.”
President of the Human Rights Commission, Mariyam Azra, said she was “in complete shock”.
“I only heard of this when VTV called. I am in complete shock… I condemn this act. This should not at all occur in a society like ours. I pray that God blesses his soul and grants him paradise,” Azra told local media.
President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has declared that the National Flag be flown at half-mast, from 2 October 2012 till the end of 4 October 2012.
There were unconfirmed reports that police had arrested a suspect in connection with the murder. Minivan News is trying to confirm this.
President’s Office Spokesperson Masood Imad meanwhile forwarded an SMS to foreign media declaring that “Nasheed’s strongest critic Dr Afrasheem has been brutally murdered.”
Background
Dr Afrasheem was elected to parliament in 2009 as a member of the then-opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP). Following the opposition’s split, Afrasheem sided with the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and faded into the political background.
Widely considered an Islamic moderate, Dr Afrasheem took outspoken and controversial positions on issues such as the permissibility of playing music, and praying next to the deceased.
Newspaper Haveeru reported on September 10 that Afrasheem had participated in a ‘scholar’s dialogue’ with Islamic Minister Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed, who had remarked on his conflicting positions on many issues compared to the majority of Maldivian scholars.
During his final television appearance last night, Dr Afrasheem spoke of there being no other God than Allah, and how he disagreed with some people who he claimed used different objects as a mediator.
Afrasheem insisted that he had never ever spoken of anything regarding religion which was not stated in the Quran or sayings of the Prophet (PBUH). He acknowledged that some people had raised questions about his stands, and said this could be due to misunderstandings.
As an example, he said he had been told recently by a local TV host that people were made kafir (non-believer) through certain acts, saying he had immediately responded that a believing Muslim could not be labelled a kafir just because he would not grow his beard or shorten his trousers, as long as he believed in the one God and the tenets of Islam.
Afrasheem also said that people in the Maldives and abroad who loved Islam sometimes made such statements, but said they did not really possess the knowledge of a scholar and that this position was wrong. Afrasheem stated that he was deeply saddened and asked for forgiveness from citizens if he had created a misconception in their minds due to his inability to express himself in the right manner.
The murdered MP was also formerly Parliament’s member of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), until he was replaced in mid-2011 by Jumhoree Party (JP) Leader, resort tycoon Gasim Ibrahim.
The MDP had campaigned for Afrasheem’s removal from the judicial watchdog, after he dismissed Article 285 of the Constitution – demanding that all judges who do not meet its newly stipulated qualifications be dismissed after two years of it coming into force – as “symbolic”.
Afrasheem is the second member of the JSC to be stabbed in the street, following an attack on former President’s member on the commission, Aishath Velezinee, in early 2011.
Dr Afrasheem is to receive a State funeral and will be buried after Asr Prayers.
Dr Afrasheem’s final TV appearance prior to his murder:
Police have concluded investigation and forwarded for criminal prosecution a case against Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Imthiyaz Fahmy ‘Inthi’.
According to a police statement, the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has been requested to charge Inthi with disobeying orders, obstructing police duty and physically assaulting a female police officer during an MDP demonstration on May 29 that followed the dismantling of the former ruling party’s protest camp at Usfasgandu.
However in a statement condemning “excessive use of force” against demonstrators, Amnesty International reported that according to MP Imthiyaz, “police in Dhoonidhoo told him he was arrested for ‘disrupting peace’. The next day, in court, police stated that he had been detained for ‘physically attacking a woman police officer.”
Police arrested Inthi along with 56 other MDP activists on May 29 after police raided the MDP protest camp with a search warrant from the Criminal Court.
“I was arrested at the MDP protest camp and the court released me, after the police told the judge that I had assaulted a female officer at Usfasgandu,” Inthi told local media.
Police have also forwarded a case against MDP activist Shiyan ‘Shiyalhey’ Shafeeq of H. Hedheythundi to the PGO.
Shiyalhey faces charges of arson, disruption of public order and attacking officers of the armed forces.
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