Tag: police integrity commission

Former Deputy Police Commissioner denies PIC allegations

Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohamed Rishwan has denied findings of a Police Integrity Commission (PIC) investigation that he ordered police officers to forcibly cut the hair of several persons that were arrested during a special operation, conducted in July last year when he was in police force.

In a press statement issued to the media, Rishwan said that he had never committed a criminal offence during his time as Deputy Commissioner, and that he had only sought to be accountable for the actions of police as he was in charge of the operations conducted across the country.

Rishwan said he had served the nation for 18 years and that he had a right to defend his status and protect his reputation.

Rishwan denied giving the order to cut the hair of the detained suspects and insisted that he had cooperated with the investigation into the incident after he had learned of it.

The PIC launched an investigation into allegations made by several persons that were arrested during the special operation that they were mistreated and their hair was forcibly cut without their consent.

After the investigation, the commission publicised the investigation report which said that Rishwan was the person bearing responsibility for the action, as he had confessed to the PIC that he gave orders to cut the hair of arrested persons.

The PIC also alleged that Rishwan had violated the Police Act and said that the case had now been sent to the Prosecutor General to press criminal charges against Rishwan.

Rishwan resigned from his position in July this year. Speaking to local media about the decision at the time, Rishwan said his resignation was based solely on wanting to spend more time with his family.

Back in February, Rishwan was reported to have been temporarily suspended from his duties after allegedly failing to follow orders regarding a dispute over taking control of the Thulusdhoo Atoll Council’s office without a court warrant.

In July last year, police and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) arrested almost 60 people, including children, in a joint special operation launched to curb the rise in gang violence.

Many arrested at the time claimed that their mobile phones and personal belongings were confiscated and not returned when they were released.

Almost everyone arrested in the operation was released without any charges.

A number of those arrested claimed they were mistreated and abused in custody, including being forced to remove their clothes, blindfolded and beaten.

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Parliament accepts Police Integrity Commission Act for vote

The parliament today accepted the Police Integrity Commission Act presented by People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdu-Raheem Abdulla, with the objective of making the Police Integrity Commission an independent body.

Out of the 67 MPs present, 36 MPs voted to accept the bill for preliminary debate and decide whether or not to pass it into law.

According to the bill, members of political parties or political activists would be banned from being member of the commissions.

The father, mother, son, daughter, wife or husband of a police officer would also be blocked from being a member of the commission, according to the bill.

Appointing members to the commission would be parliament’s responsibility, and a member of the commission could be dismissed if a parliament majority found that person incompetent or incapable.

The President of the Commission also will be determined by the parliament in a sitting by popular vote.

The PIC currently operates under the Police Act, and the Commissioner appointed by the President.

According to the bill, it would be prohibited for the PIC to disclose any information a commission member receives in an investigation unless for the investigative purposes of a lawful body.

Parliament’s finance committee is responsible for determining the wages and allowances of the commission members, the bill states.

The police are obliged to inform the commission within 24 hours if anyone dies, attempts suicide or is seriously injured while under police charge, according to the Integrity Commission Act.

The bill also rescinds all articles concerning the Police Integrity Commission from the Police Act.

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Police integrity commission calls for revised procedures after clearing police of suspect’s death

The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) has ruled that the Maldives Police Service was not culpable for the death of 20 year old Abdulla Basith Zubair whilst in their custody, although it has called for revised safety procedures when holding suspects.

Head of the PIC Shahindha Ismail told Minivan News that a five member independent panel ruled after reviewing evidence, which included medical reports, that police were not accountable for Zubair’s death after he was taken into custody last month for alleged drug offences. The five members of the PIC panel that rule on cases are initially nominated by the president before being put before the Majlis for approval and do not contain any serving police members, according to Ismail.

Zubair was reportedly found dead on the morning of January 14 after he was taken into custody where police said he had tested positive for the presence of illegal drugs in his system.

His death was confirmed after he later was taken to hospital after being discovered by officers who the police service had claimed thought he had been asleep.

Ismail confirmed that although the police were not being held accountable or found to have treated Zubair inappropriately, the case had served to highlight a lack of familiarity and training among officers in dealing with potential addicts or drug offenders when they were held in custody.

“One thing we have noted with some other cases as well, is that special processes are required regarding the handling of drug users in custody,” she said. “We think these suspects need to be hospitalised and not left alone in a cell. Also, at present some officers may not be familiar how to handle such cases.”

According to Ismail and the PIC, the problem represents a wider issue regarding police procedure for holding suspects in custody, as well as ensuring the protection of its officers as outlined under article 19 of the Police Act.

In an attempt to try and ensure officers are better trained and prepared for the challenges posed by holding suspects, the PIC has announced it will be hosting a two day workshop to try and outline minimum standards for holding suspects at police stations and custodial centres from 27 – 28 February.

Along with measures for handling possible drug addicts and users, Ismail claimed the workshop would attempt to outline procedures for a wide array of custodial issues including the administrative requirements of officers on duty.

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Police share “concern” over sex abuse case delay

A spokesperson for the Maldives Police said the service shares “concern” about the impact to its reputation of delaying investigations of alleged sexual abuse by four officers, but claimed the force remains committed in working with its independent integrity body on the case.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that despite reservations from the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) about delays in supplying information requested on the case, the Police Service was waiting on additional documents that had not currently been made available, even to itself.

“Actually, the investigation team had briefed the Commission [PIC] on its work,” he said. “The PIC have also requested information on our investigations, but we are still waiting on documents from other authorities, not just those within the police.”

Shiyam was unable to give details “as of yet” on the nature of the documents that the Maldives Police Service was waiting on, though he claimed the force was trying to get the information as soon as possible. Shiyam said he accepted that there “was concern about delaying the case” within the Maldives Police Force in relation to its reputation among the public.

A spokesperson for the PIC told Minivan News that growing “media interest” into allegations of sexual abuse being carried out from within the Police Force had led to growing “concern about when the case will be sent to the Prosecutor General”.

PIC Commissioner Shahinda Ismail yesterday told Haveeru that the independent body had requested investigation reports concerning the sexual abuse allegations from the Police Service, but had been unable to get the information so far.

According to Shahinda, the Police Service is required under the Police Act to provide any information that has been requested by the PIC.

The PIC was established in its current form back in 2008 under the Police Act to work to indentify and investigate any alleged offences committed by employees of the Maldives Police Force.

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Police order to cease DhiFM coverage unconstitutional, says Police Integrity Commission

The Police Integrity Commission has ruled that an order by Maldives Police Services for DhiFM to cease coverage of a riot outside the presidential residence on January 28 was unconstitutional and violated the police act, reports Miadhu.

Police claimed that the order was given because the DhiFM coverage was broadcast in such a manner that it was a potential threat to national security, however police failed to convince the commission.

The commission claimed that two police officers went to DhiTV following an order by Superintendent of Police Ahmed Saudhee, with Saudhee taking the orders from Deputy Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muneeru, according to Miadhu.

Following the incident, Department of Information docked five points from DhiFM’s broadcasting license for eight contract violations,

Police had accused DhiFM of airing live interviews with people calling for others to join the protest and overthrow the government through violence. DhiFM claimed plain clothed officers entered the station’s premises and demanded the broadcast be terminated, raising the ire of advocates for media freedom.

The content review committee at the Department of Information found that DhiFM’s coverage breached aspects of the code including failing to distinguish between fact and opinion, produce unbiased and balance coverage of controversial/political events, and promoting criminal activities as “something good or acceptable”.

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