Tag: police

Police celebrate 78th Anniversary

Police last night held a special function at Dharubaaruge to mark its 78th Anniversary.

President Mohamed Nasheed, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh and ministers were present at the special function.

Commissioner Faseeh pledged to control the gang violence in the Maldives if concerned authorities cooperated with the police.

Expressing concern at the number of juveniles involving in crimes, Faseeh called on parents to cooperate more with police in reforming the juveniles committing crimes.

President Nasheed also addressed the people at the function.

Nasheed urged businessman not to reject teenagers from employment for having a criminal record on their police report.

Instead he called on businessmen to give them the opportunity to work “for the sake of the nation.”

He also said that he did not wish to have “even a single Maldivian behind the bars.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Criminal Court asks police to find Gayoom’s brother, former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed

Police have confirmed a request from the Criminal Court to bring former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed before a court in the Maldives, after a summons could not be delivered to him in a pending case.

Several hearings have been cancelled in a high-profile corruption case involving Hameed, who is the brother of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, after the court was unable to determine his whereabouts and deliver a summons.

Police said that the Immigration Department had been instructed to hold Hameed’s passport should he ever return to the Maldives.

Police spokesperson Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam explained that when the court first requested police to produce Hameed he was not in the Maldives.

”But the court have not yet issued an arrest warrant or requested his arrest via Interpol,” Shiyam said. ”His whereabouts remain unknown.”

Hameed is being sought by the court in a trial concerning corruption allegations in the former Atoll’s Ministry’s Audit Report.

The audit of the Atolls Ministry’s showed that 17 staff employed by the Ministry in 2007 never appeared for work but were being regularly paid by the Ministry, at a total cost of Rf1.4 million (US$109,000).

According to the report, a further 38 persons employed by the ministry were not assigned any daily work, but were also paid regularly. The report stated that occasionally the heads of atolls were brought to Male’ and kept for a long period of time without assigning them any duties. One such atoll head was brought to Male’ in October 2007 and left 10 months later in August 2008, at a cost to the Ministry of Rf 241,862 (US$18,800).

Web of corruption

In March last year, minority opposition People’s Alliance MP Ahmed Nazim pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding the atolls ministry.

At a press conference in August 2009, Chief Inspector Ismail Atheef said police had uncovered evidence that implicated Hameed along with Eydhafushi MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem, former director of finance at the ministry, and Deputy Speaker Nazim in fraudulent transactions worth over US$260,000 (Mrf 3,446,950).

Police exhibited numerous quotations, agreements, tender documents, receipts, bank statements and forged cheques proving that Nazim received over US$400,000 in the scam.

A hard disk seized during a raid of Nazim’s office in May allegedly contained copies of forged documents and bogus letter heads.

Police maintain that money was channelled through the scam to Nazim who laundered cash through Namira Engineering and other unregistered companies.

Police further alleged that MP Saleem actively assisted the scam in his then-position as director of finance at the ministry, while Nazim’s wife Zeenath Abdullah had abused her position as a manager of the Bank of Maldives’ Villingili branch to deposit proceeds of the fraudulent conspiracy.

Police said Hameed, also long-time Speaker of the People’s Majlis, played a key role in the fraud by handing out bids without public announcements, making advance payments using cheques against the state asset and finance regulations, approving bid documents for unregistered companies and discriminatory treatment of bid applicants.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Under-aged girl arrested over alleged involvement in Basheer murder

An under-aged girl is being held in custody over suspicion of involvement in the murder earlier this month of Ahusan Basheer, police have said.

No further details were given regarding the female suspect other than that she is being held in custody over an alleged connection to the murder of Ahusan Basheer, 21, who was stabbed to death in the early hours of March 17 near Alikileygefaanu Magu, one of the main streets of the capital Male’.

Following a week-long manhunt, police arrested Ibrahim Shahum, 20, as the main suspect in the murder.  Shahum had recently been released by the Criminal Court after being kept in detention for six months on suspicion of stabbing a 17 year-old to death on July 30, 2010.

Head of the Maldive police Service’s Serious and Organized Crime Department (SOC) Abdul Nawaz confirmed that Ahusan’s murder case was still unresolved.

‘’We have only one under-aged person in connection to this case and the person is a female,’’ Nawaz said. ‘’We can’t provide further details of the case as it may compromise the investigation.’’

Special operations

Crime-Prevention Committee MeetingNawaz additionally claimed that special operations being conducted by police to curb gang violence in Male’ was working successfully.  He added that the intiative had led to the arrest of 155 people, the transfer of a further 21 suspects to house arrest and another 101 people being searched.  Additionally, 53 houses were checked and five vehicles were impounded.

Despite praising the initiatives, Nawaz appealed to the public to be more careful while carrying cash around the country, requesting those who need to transfer large amounts of money from one place to another to seek police assistance beforehand.

Meanwhile, the recently-formed National Crime Prevention Committee met members of the parliamentary security services committee yesterday to discuss immediate measures that could be taken to combat the rise in organised crime and gang-related violence.

As the required legislation would take longer to complete, the committee has reportedly decided to formulate regulations in collaboration with parliament to empower police to hold suspects in custody for longer periods.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Inviligilator assisted students with Cambridge Maths Exam answer, alleges Police

The head of the police’s Property Crime Unit, Chief Inspector Mohamed Jamsheed, has claimed that an investigation into the conduct of a Cambridge Mathematics examination taken last year at a Shaviyani Atoll school concluded that an invigilator had assisted students with their papers.

The examination process at Milandhoo school was subjected to a police investigation after the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) awarding body annulled the grades of mathematics students in the island.

”Most of the students have confessed that they copied with the help of this invigilator, who told them the answer for the last question in the paper,” said Jamsheed.

The answer given to the question by all students in the Milandhoo School Hall was consistent but wrong, which made the  CIE markers raise concern.

One person from the island whose name cannot be yet disclosed was arrested and is still in pre-trial detention, said Jamsheed adding that some of the students in the island had denied the allegations of copying.

Three exam monitors at Milandhoo School were suspended after the issue was handed over to police.

A student who sat for the examinations told local newspaper Haveeru that the students “were tricked as someone changed the contents of the papers [after completion].”

Milandhoo school was ranked second in the Maldives last year in terms of the strength of its O’Level exam results.

Deputy Education Minister Dr Abdulla Nazeer said earlier this week that the affected students were expected to be able to resit “the next available exam”.  “I don’t think there are any restrictions,” he said.

Nazeer added that the Education Ministry had pledged to investigate the matter “as thoroughly as possible”, and take action if malpractice was identified.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Criminal Court imprisons murdered child’s mother for six months over negligence

A woman arrested in connection with the alleged sexual abuse and murder of her eight-month old child has been sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Criminal Court after being found guilty of  negligence.

The woman, who was identified as Noorzaadha Ali, of Addu Atoll Hithadhoo, was not herself charged with murdering or sexually abusing the child, although the court ruled that she was in violation of elements of the Penal Code.

According to local media, the presiding judge said that the suspect had not vaccinated the baby or taken proper care to clean the child and failed to explain internal and external injuries to the victim.

On the basis of these findings, the judge declared that Nooruzaadha had neglected her duties as a mother.

Her boyfriend, Mohamed Waheed, stands accused of murdering the child, though the outcome of that trial has not yet been concluded.

The eight-month-old baby boy died in the intensive care unit of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) back in June 2009.

Three suspects were arrested in connection with allegations that he had been physically and sexuallly abused.  These suspects included the victim’s mother, Nooruzaadha, 28[then], from Addu atoll Hithadhoo, her boyfriend Mohamed Waheed, 46[then], from Male’, and a third man whose identity has not yet been revealed.

Addressing media at the time, Inspector Hamdhoon Rasheed, head of the police investigation unit, said initial test results revealed the baby had extensive injuries, as well as showing signs of having been sexually abused.

Rasheed said that the boy had suffered head and neck injuries, and was covered in scratches. The hospital reported the case to police after Waheed took the baby in for medical care.

Nooruzaadha had a long history of criminal activity, according to both police and the prosecutor general’s office.

She was arrested twice in 2002, once for sexual misconduct and the second time for prostitution, said Deputy Prosecutor General Hussein Shameem.

She was sentenced to eight months house arrest for the first offence, which she breached, and six months imprisonment for the second.

The same year, she was put under house arrest for disobedience of order, which she violated and was fined Rf150 (US$12). In 2006, she was arrested on the same charge and was ordered to spend two months in jail.

In 2004, Nooruzaadha was handed a six-year sentence for possession of drugs and in 2005 and 2007, she was given two 12-year sentences on each occasion for drug possession.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Criminal Court extends detention of MP Adil to 15 days

The Criminal Court last night extended the detention of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Maradhoo Area Hassan Adhil to 15 days, following his arrest yesterday on charges of child molestation.

The Criminal Court asked police to hold Adhil in detention at a location determined by the Home Ministry, after a closed hearing to which journalists were denied access.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that Adhil’s detention was extended and that the MP was in police custody.

Yesterday morning an arrest warrant was issued by the Criminal Court for the arrest of the former opposition-aligned Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP, who jumped to the ruling MDP in September last year.

Following the signing, Adhil claimed he had switched parties “not by anyone, I took this step because of the pulse of the people.”

”I believe that the government is conducting many development projects at a high speed, and I signed with MDP for the development of my area at the request of [my constituents].”

Leader of the DQP Hassan Saeed declined to comment on Adhil’s decision at the time.

Report of the investigation of the MP appeared in newspaper Haveeru last month, which based the story on a source within the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM). However HCRM President Maryam Azra denied knowledge of the investigation and the story was removed from Haveeru’s website.

MDP Chairperson Mariya Ahmed Didi told Minivan News yesterday that if Adhil was found guilty “then of course the party should [take action]. The party does not condone such acts. But we should only speculate after the court has come to a verdict.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Court warrant issued for arrest of MDP MP Adil on child molestation charges

The Criminal Court has today issued a court warrant for the arrest of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Hassan Adil.

A police spokesperson confirmed that court warrant was issued and for charges of child molestation, but declined to provide further information.

When asked about Adil’s future in the party should he be found guilty, MDP Chairperson Mariya Ahmed Didi told Minivan News that if Adil was found guilty “then of course the party should [take action]. The party does not condone such acts. But we should only speculate after the court has come to a verdict.”

She referred Minivan News to Parliamentary Group Leader ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, however his phone was switched off at time of press. MDP Parliamentary group’s former spokesperson MP Ahmed Shifaz said that he had heard about the incident but declined to comment on the matter.

Last month local newspaper Haveeru published an article reporting that police and the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) were conducting a joint investigation regarding child molestation allegations against a MP, which was later removed from the newspaper’s website.

HRCM President Maryam Azra told Minivan News at the time that she did not know whether the commission was investigating the case.

”We are trying to find out who it was that has told Haveeru so,” she said at the time.

Azra did not respond to Minivan News today at time of press.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan said he had no information on the issue.

Over the past year there has been an increase in reports of child abuse, including by high-profile individuals in the Maldives. Prominent Quran reciter Hussein Thaufeeq, who appears every day on TV and teaches Quran to children, was recently arrested on numerous child molestation charges.

Adil, a former member of the opposition-aligned Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), did not appear in parliament today.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Authorities investigate arrival of self-proclaimed ‘Messenger of Allah’

The arrival of a Canadian man in the Maldives claiming to be a messenger of Allah was “a false alarm”, said Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam.

”According to information we have received we have been unable to confirm that it is true,” Shiyam said.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said the President’s Office was also informed of the man’s arrival.

”The Islamic Ministry requested police investigate the matter,” he said earlier today.

Local media reported that Hussein Iqbal, a Pakistani national who lives in Canada and claims to be a messenger of God, arrived in the Maldives on the invitation of Maldivians who follow him. A group was reportedly scheduled to leave for Sri Lanka on a pilgrimage.

Ibrahim Fauzy, President of local religious NGO the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives (IFM), told Minivan News that there were “hundreds” of Maldivians who followed Iqbal.

”I met last night with some of his followers in Male’,” Fauzy told Minivan News. “I learned that his call first reached the Maldives seven years ago and since then people have been joining him.”

Fauzy said that he also understood that Iqbal preached against the Sunnah and Hadith and encouraged his followers to believe solely in the Quran.

”Their original call comes from a person called Khaleefa Rashad who dismissed the Hadith and Sunnah,” Fauzy said.

He said Iqbal and his followers used verse 30 and 31 of the Surah Mudhassir to support their argument and try to convince others they were right.

”They use a mathematical formula and subtract some numbers from 19, and claim that the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was the last Prophet but not last messenger,” he said.

Verse 30 of the Surah Mudhassir reads ”over it are nineteen” and 31 reads ”And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers, in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith, and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may say, “What symbol doth Allah intend by this ?” Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind.”

Fauzy said that those following Iqbal were only praying three times a day. He also said that one of Iqbal’s followers  had a divorce case pending in the Family Court, contesting that his wife was a disbeliever, “which raises many complicated legal issues.”

Khalifa Rashad was an Egyptian-born, US-educated biochemist who claimed that the Archangel Gabriel had “most assertively” told him that chapter 36, verse 3, of the Quran referred specifically to him. He was stabbed to death in 1990 at an Islamic school in Arizona and his body drenched in xylol, a flammable printing solvent.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police begin search for escaped convict

Police have begun a search operation for fugitive Abdulla Mujthaba, Ma. Aafaluge, who escaped through a window at the Family Court last Sunday.

Mujthaba, convicted on multiple drug-related charges, was brought to Male’ for his divorce proceedings.

According to police, Mujthaba had escaped from prison more than once in the past and is likely to change his appearance.

Police urged anyone with information on the escaped convict to immediately report the matter to police.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)