The Criminal Court yesterday extended the detention of Ibrahim Abdulla ‘Gabarey’ by five days after police arrested him again following his release by the court earlier this week, reports Sun Online.
Gabarey is among “nine most dangerous criminals” identified by police last week and detained in a special operation to curb gang violence following the fatal stabbing of a 21 year-old in the capital Male’ on March 16.
Police records show that Gabarey had been arrested 14 times in the past for various offences, including violent assault.
Deputy Prosecutor General Hussein Shameem meanwhile revealed at a rare press conference yesterday that police had forwarded 40 cases involving the nine, 17 of which were ongoing at court.
Guilty verdicts were issued for nine of these cases, said Shameem, while seven were not proven.
Apart from insufficient evidence, Shameem revealed that eye witnesses retracting or changing their statements at trial was one reason for acquittals.
However, he added, two witnesses to a murder were successfully prosecuted for perjury after they were found to have given false testimony.
The Prosecutor General’s Office was greatly assisted by recently enacted legislation outlawing gang activities and possession of weapons, said Shameem, as possession of knives and swords could not be prosecuted before the new laws came into effect.
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