Tag: police

Police arrest suspected prostitutes inside Shaaha Alternative Medical Centre

Police last night raided Shaaha Alternative Medical Centre in Maafannu around 11:00pm, and arrested three Thai women for suspected prostitution.

Three Maldivian men and a Sri Lankan man, also inside Shaaha Alternative Medical Centre, were arrested along with the three Thai women.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that police raided the business after receiving an intelligence report that sexual activities were being conducted there.

‘’After police raided it they saw it was a place  used for sexual activities,’’ Haneef said, adding that police have now closed down the business.

He said that materials used to conduct such activities were discovered inside Shaaha Alternative Medical Centre.

“[Those arrested] have not been summoned to court yet, but they will be as soon we finish taking their statements,’’ he added.

In April police arrested two Thai women and two local men on prostitution charges after raiding a Male’-based business called ‘Maldivian Care’.

In March Police arrested five Thai nationals and three male Maldivians inside ‘Herbal Beauty Salon’, located on the second floor of Maafannu Sherrif.

Local media reported that this was the ninth business closed by police on charges of prostitution since President Dr Waheed Hassan Manik came to power.

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Investigation suggests stabbing murder of 16 year-old was gang attack: police

A police investigation into the stabbing murder of a 16 year-old boy in Male’ last week was making progress although no arrests have yet been made, according to Deputy Head of Specialist Command Mohamed Riyaz.

Speaking to the press at Iskandar Koshi, Riyaz said police had spoken to several people and visited places related to the death, and have gathered information that cannot be revealed at the time for fear of disrupting the investigation.

He said the information received so far suggested that the boy was killed in a gang attack, however he declined to provide further information.

Last Wednesday morning at around 6:00am two patrolling officers discovered the dead body of 16 year-old Mohamed Arham inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhiraasathul Islamiyya.

His body was found with stab wounds in his neck, back and chest with blood all over his body and on the floor, as well as on the walls of the park.

Mohamed Arham was a student at grade 9 in Dharmavantha School when he died.

The Education Ministry, Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and police have condemned the attack on the boy.

The park in which he was found dead is known locally as ‘Lorenzo Park’, named after a Male’ gang called ‘Lorenzo’.

Minivan News understands that park is usually used by members or friends of the gang, and that it is very uncommon to find outside visitors sitting in the park.

Friends of Arham have said that he was in the park that night after all his friends left because he was too tired to go home, as he had just finished attending a camp that day.

Arham did not leave the park with his friends and might have fallen asleep in the park alone and assailants may have attacked him while he was asleep, according to some of Arham’s friends.

A friend of Arham’s told Minivan News that they were not sure why he was attacked or who attacked him, because he not had any issues with anyone recently and there was no warning of any attack.

‘’He must have been attacked between 2:00am to 6:00am that night,’’ he added. ‘’That time he would have been by himself in the park because everyone left around 2:00.’’

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HRCM “blind and deaf” over police brutality, claims MDP

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson and MP Imthiyaz Fahmy ‘Inthi’ has condemned the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) for being “deaf and blind” to police brutality against MDP supporters.

Speaking to the press today at the MDP Secretariat, Inthi said that the MDP was deeply concerned that while there was a human rights commission to investigate rights violations, it had failed to notice these and instead accepted the police’s actions with their silence.

Inthi alleged that police had attacked MDP protesters as well as journalist during the recent protests over the dismantling of the Usfasgandu protest sight, and provided pictures.

He alleged that many MDP activists had been injured during police crackdowns and that some activists were beaten after being taken into police custody.

‘’They also forced the 56 arrested MDP supporters to give their urine samples to test for drugs, but they were all arrested for a political unrest on not on a drug related offence,’’ he said. Inthi himself was arrested the previous day during the crackdown.

“’I was arrested at the MDP protest campsite and the court released me, after the police told the judge that I had assaulted a female officer at the Usfasgandu,’’ he told the journalist. “Human rights organisations far away from the Maldives have expressed concern over rights violations here, but the Human Rights Commission in the Maldives has not seen or noticed anything.’’

HRCM had also failed to notice that the police had dismantled MDP protest campsite as Usgandu without a court warrant, he added.

‘’Today the police are operating as a gang, they are not police but are a group thugs,” he claimed. “The former commissioner of police has said they are now operating like a gang,’’ Inthi added.

HRCM Presdient Maryam Azra did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Police and army officers dismantled the MDP protest camp after the Criminal Court issued a search warrant following the police allegations of sorcery and other criminal offences being carried out at the campsite.

The Civil Court later ordered a halt to the dismantling of the camp, however police had by then destroyed most of the area.

The Civil Court order came following a case filed in court by the MDP which is still ongoing.

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65 year-old man murdered inside his house on Manafaru Island

A 65 year-old man identified as Hassan Abubakur was found murdered inside his own house yesterday at around 6:00pm on the island of Manafaru in Noonu Atoll.

‘’Neighbors living near his house noticed that he had not been coming out at all, and went in to see what was going on and found his dead body,’’ said Ahmed Shareef, President of the Island Council of Manafaru.

“Our estimation shows that the incident might have occurred on Sunday night, because that was the last time anyone saw him,’’ Shareef said. “The Island Council records show that he came to the council office to receive something on Sunday and islanders have said they haven’t seen him since.”

Shareef said there were different rumours spreading on the island about Abubakur’s death, although there have been no confirmed reports.

“I got to see inside the house after the incident, it seems that some people have tried to steal something in the house, because the things inside his house were not arranged as they usually were,’’ he said. “Some cupboards doors were opened and some things supposed to be kept on the table were dropped on the floor.”

The body was handed to the council last night at 10:30pm after police finished examining it, he said. The body was laid to rest at 3:15am.

Head of the Island Health Centre Ali Shareef told Minivan News that the body was not brought to the Health Centre but rather a doctor from the Health Centre was sent to see the body.

The doctor estimated that Abubakur might have been dead for more than 48 hours,’’ Ali Shareef said.

The elderly man’s legs were tied and a pillow was on his face when his body was found, Shareef said, according to islanders who witnessed the body.

“People said there was blood spilled from his nose and mouth when people saw the body,’’ he said.

Ali Shareef said according to rumours, the man has received a large amount of cash on Sunday through the elderly person’s pension scheme, because he had not been received it for a long time.

“It is said that the assailants went to his house in search of the money,’’ he said.

He said that it took a long time to realise Abubakur was missing because he was lived alone in his house and ate in different places.

“Neighbors living nearby noticed that his house door had been left open for days and that he had not been coming out,’’ he said. ‘’So they went to check on him.’’

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef did not answer calls at time of press.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning a 16 year-old school boy was found killed inside a park in Henveiru, Male’.

According to reports, the boy was stabbed to death while he was asleep in the park on Tuesday night.

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Body of murdered 16 year-old discovered in park

The body of a 16 year-old boy was discovered this morning by police inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhirasathul Islamiyya.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that the body was discovered at around 6:00am by police officers patrolling the area.

“The body had many stab wounds and other injuries,” Haneef said. “Police are currently trying to verify the identity of the body.”

He said it was too early to say whether the boy was victim of a gang attack or an incident related to yesterday’s political unrest.

Haneef said according to the information police have received so far, the boy might be 16 year-old Mohamed Arahm, of Noree house in Hoarafushi of Haa Alifu Atoll, who was studying in grade 9 at Dharumavantha School.

A Hoarafushi Island Council member who identified himself to Minivan News as Mauroof, said  the council had received information that the body Arham had been discovered inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhiraasathul Islamiyya.

‘’Mohamed Arahm left the island two years ago with this family,’’ Mauroof said. “When he left the island he was a good boy and he had no criminal record, and we do not know the reason for this attack.’’

Local newspaper Haveeru quoted a witness who saw the body as saying that Arham appeared to have been stabbed twice in the chest, and that his whole body was covered in blood.

Haveeru also reported that Arham was the only boy in the family.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has issued a statement condemning the act and calling for the investigation to be hastened, and those responsible found and penalised.

The Ministry also sent condolences to the family of the deceased.

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Police forward nine names to PG regarding VTV attack

The police have forwarded nine names to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office in relation to the attack on Villa Television (VTV) on March 19, reports Haveeru.

Police Inspector Abdulla Shatheeh is also reported that the police are searching for five more individuals in relation to the incident. In order to trace the whereabouts of the suspects the police have made public the photos of those under suspicion. They have also appealed to the public for any information regarding this incident.

Shaheeth told Haveeru that the nine names forwarded to the PG are:  Hussain Hameed – 26,  Ahmed Hameed – 29, Mohamed Hameed  – 50, Ahmed Naeem – 27, Ghaanim Haasan – 19, Hussain Shifau Jameel – 19, Ismail Hammad – 19, Ahmed Muheen – 22, and a 17 year old who could not be named for legal reasons.

The attack on VTV occurred during protests against the re-opening of the people’s Majlis on March 19. The building, as well as the soldiers guarding its entrance on Sosun Magu, came under attack as police tear gas forced the protesters south, past the building from the police barricades nearer to the Majlis building.

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Juvenile Court extends detention of minors charged with Muheeth murder

The Juvenile Court extended the detention by 15 days of three minors charged with the murder of 20 year-old Abdul Muheeth, as one of the minor had not appointed a lawyer to respond to the murder charges pressed against him by the Prosecutor General.

A Juvenile Court official told local media that the three minors will have to provide detailed answers to the charges pressed against them in the next hearing, which will be held after 15 days.

Juvenile Court Spokesperson Zaeema Nasheed was unavailable for comment as she was attending the Juvenile Justice Program.

Three men have been charged in the same case, in addition to the minors.

Police identified the three men as Muhujath Ahmed Naseeh of Gahdhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, Ali Mushaf of Maradhoo in Addu City and Mohamed Maimoon of Naifaru in Lhaviyani Atoll.

Abdul Muheeth of G. Veyru was rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after he was stabbed at 1:45am near the Finance Ministry building on February 19. He later died during treatment.

In March, Police Inspector Abdulla Satheeh said Muheeth was mistakenly killed by a gang and that he was not the intended target.

Police said Muheeth was not a member of any gangs and said he held a responsible job at the time he was stabbed to death.

The Juvenile court is also hearing a second murder case involving a girl and two boys under the age of 18, who are suspected to be involved in the murder of 21 year-old Ahusan Basheer.

Family members of Ahusan Basheer were recently summoned to the court to approve a possible death sentence verdict if the three minors were to be found guilty in the case.

Four of Basheer’s family members said they approved of death sentence. According to the Juvenile Court there were four additional family members who needed to tell the court their stance in order to decide whether death sentence should be passed if the suspects were found guilty.

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Police request court warrant to dismantle MDP protest site at Usgandu

Police have sought a warrant from the Criminal Court to dismantle the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest site at ‘Usgandu’, following a request made by the Home Ministry.

In a statement, police said the request was made to the court yesterday afternoon at 1:00pm.

Police said the Home Ministry had requested police implement a decision made by cabinet to reclaim the land from the MDP-dominated Male’ City Council, and give it to the Housing Ministry.

On May 9, the Housing Ministry wrote to Male’ City Council requesting it hand over ‘Usgandu’ to the ministry, however the Council declined to do so, police noted.

The statement said the land was given to Male’ City Council according to laws that placed state land under the jurisdiction of local councils.

MDP Chairperson and MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik yesterday claimed that if police dismantled the MDP protest camp at Usgandu, protests would erupt all across Male’.

Moosa said that if their camp was dismantled, MDP supporters would gather near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) – the same area the then-opposition aligned parties held a series of protests against former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Moosa added that the Uagandu was given by Male’ City Council to MDP according to the law, and that security forces had no right to restrict citizens from claiming a fundamental right such as freedom of assembly.

Following the controversial transfer of power on February 7, Male’ City Council allocated the empty area near the tsunami monument to the MDP, which set up a protest camp.

However on March 19, hours after President Dr Waheed Hassan Manik delivered his inaugural speech to the parliament, security forces raided the area, dismantled the camp and painted over anti-government graffiti, removing all trace of MDP from the area.

Male’ City Council subsequently granted Usgandu to MDP to conduct their political activities until the end of June. The MDP meanwhile filed a case against the dismantling of the tsunami monument site in the Civil Court, which is ongoing.

Police Spokesperson Hassan Haneef today told Minivan News that there were no updates on the story as of yet, adding that he had not been informed whether the court had issued the warrant.

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Adhaalath Party condemns MDP for disrupting Sheikh Ilyas’s sermon

The Adhaalath Party, led by Sheikh Imran Mohamed, has condemned the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) after a group of people said to be MDP supporters obstructed a sermon held by prominent religious scholar Sheikh Ilyas Hussain at Masjid-al-Furqan on Friday night.

In a statement, the party said the Maldives was a 100 percent Islamic nation and that no one should be given the opportunity to obstruct religious views, and called on authorities to give harsh penalties to people involved in such un-Islamic activities.

The Adhaalath Party said that such people were mentioned in the Quran and cited verse 114;1 ‘’And who is more unjust that he who forbids that in places for the worship of Allah, Allah’s named should be celebrated? –whose zeal is (in fact) to ruin them? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them except in fear. For them there is nothing but disgrace in this world, and in the world to come, an exceeding torment.’’

The party also said that people “who use their brain” should “realise that MDP is a cult that revolves around former President Mohamed Nasheed.”

The Adhaalath Party called on all citizens of the Maldives “to stop supporting these people who do not love the religion or the citizens even a little bit.”

Last Friday a group of people said to be MDP supporters gathered outside Furqan Mosque while Sheikh Ilyas was delivering a sermon inside, and shouted at him saying he was a traitor.

A group of people came out of the mosque and clashed with the group outside, before riot police arrived in the area and restored order.

According to police, five men were arrested following the unrest and brought before court.

The court released three of them and extended the detention period of the other two.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef today told Minivan News that Male’ City Council on Friday night requested police stop a sermon at the Furqan Mosque, just as it was beginning.

‘’We did not think it was appropriate to stop it because it was a religious thing and not a criminal offence, so we decided to solve it through dialogue,’’ Haneef said. ‘’But when police went to the area people were gathered and there was unrest.’’

He confirmed that two of the five men arrested were still under police charge while the other three had been released.

Sheikh Ilyas is a member of Adhaalath Party’s religious council and has been very critical of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Adhaalath Party is one of the parties aligned with the current government. Current Islamic Minister Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed is also a member of the party.

Tonight there is another sermon by Sheikh Ilyas due to be held at the same mosque, on the topic ‘Death’.

MDP Secretary General Ahmed Shah referred Minivan News to MDP  Spokesperson and MP Imtiyaz Fahmy ‘Inthi’, who did not respond at time of press.

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