Tag: police

Police statistics for 2010 show 11 percent fall in cases reported

Annual crime statistics released by the Maldives Police Service show an 11 percent decline in cases reported in 2010, compared with 2009.

The number of cases reached an all-time high in 2009 at 19,259 for the year, with a particularly dramatic spike in crime between 2006 (8560 cases) and 2008 (17674).

A comparison of crimes logged from 2008-2010 shows a general decline in drug offences from 2484 cases in 2008 to 1618 in 2010.

Assaults spiked in 2009 to 2000 cases, but 2010 was on par with 2009 levels with 1638 cases reported.

‘Theft’ remained one of the country’s most reported crimes, and was relatively consistent across the three-year period with 4000 cases reported in 2010.

Reporting of domestic violence cases remained extremely low at just 135 cases in 2010, marking a steady decline.

The number of cases fell across most offences from 2009-2010, with the exception of embezzlement and cheque-bounce offences.

Perhaps responsible for the overall fall in drug-related cases, the 2010 statistics show that the Drug Enforcement Department was one of the most active police bodies last year in terms of filing cases for prosecution, with 844 cases sent to the Prosecutor General – more than double that of any other department.

The North and Upper North Police Divisions filed the most prolific number of cases with the PG’s office at around 260 each, after the Southern Police division’s 437 cases.

Of the atoll police stations, Haa Dhaal Kulhudhufushi filed vastly more cases than any other police station at 574 cases, followed by Seenu Hithadhoo (444) and Seenu Gan (391).

According to the police statistics, stations at Hulhumeedhoo, Rathafandhoo, Faresmaathoda, Guraidhoo, Rasdhoo, Dhuvaafaru, Milandhoo and Hanimaadhoo did not log a single case in 2010.

Crime reported in Male’ was split evening cross the main districts, however at 36 percent of cases Heniveru was recorded as the most crime afflicted.

Most arrests made across the Maldives in 2010 were for drug offences (1153), assault (941) and theft (773), and most of these were first time offenders.

The bulk of those arrested were young men aged between 17-23, while key crimes committed by minors (aged under 18) were assault, theft and drug offences – albeit with an overall decline in 2010 on 2009.

Interestingly, only 138 women were arrested in 2010 compared with nearly 4000 men – 3.5 percent of arrests made. 42 of these women were arrested for ‘sexual offences’.

Overall conviction rates appeared rather low – of the 17854 cases closed, 3323 were sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office. Of these 1108 were sent back, and 776 ended in convictions. Only 75 convictions were recorded from cases begun in 2010.

Read the police annual report (English)

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Two years and 25 lashes for sexual assault of Japanese music teacher

The Criminal Court of the Maldives has sentenced a man to two years imprisonment and 25 lashes for sexually assaulting a Japanese woman on Kulhudhufushi in Haa Dhaalu Atoll.

The Criminal Court, which identified the victim, said she was walking down the ‘Giolhilaashi Hingun’ street in Kulhudhufushi on November 6, 2010, when she was approached by Adam Shareef who sexually assaulted her.

“Adam Shareef stopped [the victim] and [sexually assaulted] her according to his own admittance.”

An authority at Kulhudhufushi told Minivan News that the Japanese citizen was a volunteer music teacher at Kulhudhufushi school.

”Whatever took place happened on that street,” he said. ”It is a very narrow street where people do not walk very often.”

”Another islander reported the incident to police, not the Japanese citizen,” he said, adding that the incident occurred during broad day light in the afternoon.

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Adhaalath Party condemns ”false allegations” made by government officials to Indian magazine

The Adhaalath Party, led by State Islamic Minister Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, has hit back at unnamed government officials who described Sheikh Illyas and Sheikh Fareed as “hate preachers” in an interview with India’s magazine ‘The Week’‘.

The party claimed that senior officials of the current government, including former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and Home Minister Hassan Afeef, made false allegations against a number of the country’s religious leaders, including the vice leader of the Adhaalath Party’s religious council, Sheikh Ilyas Hussein.

Afeef is not acknowledged as a source in the current version of the  article, and Shaheed’s comments to The Week concern the potential involvement of Maldivians in the attacks of Mumbai by Pakistani terrorist group Laskar-el-Taiba (LeT).

In the article Ahmed Muneer, Deputy Commissioner of the Maldives Police, acknowledges that “our radical preachers are enjoying street credibility and radicalisation is visible at the street level. It’s a problem for us, but things would aggravate if the radicals get integrated into Maldivian politics.”

The Adhaalath party claimed that during the interview, “Dr Shaheed said that scholars were delivering lectures with the intention of earning money, and that only a few people attended religious protests because they wanted to go to heaven.”

The Adhaalath Party contends that is is moderate rather than extremist. It is in coalition with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and fills most of the ranks of the Islamic Ministry.

”As a result of this [article], religious scholars in the Maldives will face many obstacles locally, and it will also affect Maldivian families living in India,” said the Adhaalath Party.

”Sheikh Ilyas is one of the best scholars in the Maldives of recent ages, and many citizens enjoy attending his sermons.”

In retaliation, the Adhaalath Party accused the government of establishing and spreading extremism in the Maldives, and misleading the West in its desperation for money.

”Due to irresponsible comments by senior officials of the government, tourism in the country will also be affected,” warned the Adhaalath Party, accusing the President of “fabricating” earlier statements concerning scholarly freedom in the Maldives.

‘The Week magazine article reports that the LeT has been eyeing the Maldives since early 2000, when its headhunters travelled to Male’. India’s Intelligence Bureau estimated that there were more than 3,000 LeT facilitators and instigators in the Maldives, it reported.

In the article, Mohamed Hameed, head of the internal intelligence department of the Maldivian police, claimed that several hundred Maldivian youth had left the island nation “and their families have never heard from them since.”

”Hameed said ‘recruitment is taking place all the while.’ Radicals like Yoosuf Izadhy — a militant jihadi who is said to have ties with al Qaeda, according to leaked diplomatic cables prepared by then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice—are roaming free. Izadhy was planning to create a terrorist base in the Maldives with support from a Waziristan-based group. He and Hasnain Hameedh had operational aspirations,” the magazine reported.

“The spread of an extremist belief system is fueled by hate preachers like Sheikh Fareed and Sheikh Ilyas. Both are [under surveillance],” the magazine reported a “Maldivian intelligence official” as saying.

Speaking of the 2007 Sultan Park bombing in Male’, in which 12 tourists were injured, Dr Shaheed told The Week that “the ringmaster [prime accused] of the Sultan Park bombing was allowed to leave the country. The incident wasn’t fully investigated. The ringmaster was a young boy. We need to find out who was behind the ringmaster. I think there are unanswered questions.”

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Journalists obstructed us during October protest coverage, say police

The Maldives Police Service has issued a statement following allegations made by the Maldives Media Council (MMC) that police used excessive force on journalists while they were covering the opposition-led protest in October 2010.

”On October 25, the behavior of the journalists covering the riot was different from how they have behaved during other riots, and they were definitely behaving in a way that that obstructed police from carrying out their duties,” said police in a statement.

”The Maldives Police Service hopes that the MMC, as the lawful body [overseeing] the media, will research the degraded actions of a few journalists who were active in the area and will work with them to correct their behaviour.”

The MMC has acknowledged that the behaviour of some journalists covering the riot “lacked discipline and professionalism”.

Police said they respected the media and believed that it was “very necessary in a modern democracy.”

”Police have worked very hard to establish easy ways for the media to gain information they need in matters related to police work,” police said.

The police recommended that the MMC avoid repeated incidents by researching how the media works in other democratic countries when covering riots and dangerous situations.

Several journalists from different media organisations have alleged that police attacked journalists covering the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)-led protest.

Three journalists from DhiTV, two journalists from VillaTV and one from Miadhu reported that they were attacked by police.

The two journalists from VillaTV were also arrested, handcuffed, and released the same evening.

Following the incident, police claimed that the behaviour of some journalists resembled that of “opposition activists”.

‘’Some journalists opposed police orders and refused to stay in the security zone,” Shiyam said at the time. “It would have gone smoothly if they had worked according to orders given.’’

He said that police some journalists who opposed police orders were moved forcefully.

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Police harsh and journalists “unprofessional” in protest coverage, finds MMC

The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has called on journalists to follow their code of ethics when covering events such as the opposition-led protest on October 25 last year, in which police clashed with reporters.

Journalists did not adhere to the standards of discipline required of their position while covering the event, the MMC said.

The MMC issued the statement following the release of an investigation report into incident, in which the Council alleged that the police commander who managed the riot that evening may not have given adequate opportunity for the media to cover the event.

Three journalists from DhiTV, two journalists from VillaTV, one from newspaper Miadhu and a photographer from Haveeru reported they were attacked by the police. The two journalists from VillaTV were also arrested, handcuffed, and released the same evening.

Editor of DhiTV Midhath Hilmy claimed that one of his reporters was hit in the head with a tear gas canister, while another was hit with a police baton.

The MMC stated that police had planned that evening not to let any person enter the area, and did not provided an exemption for the media.

“According to video footage, pictures and audio clips as well as the statements of journalists who covered the riot, the council have noted that police have acted very strictly towards the media.”

Eight journalists from different media organisations were physically injured  during the clash and underwent medical treatment. The MMC confirmed that there was “some truth” to the allegations made by media personnels regarding their harsh treatment at the hand of police, including the use of pepper spray.

Furthermore, the council said, police took strict measures to obstruct journalists from covering the event, undermining the freedom given them by the Constitution.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police would respond to the allegations later.

Police have previously stated that the crackdown on the media corp was prompted when several members of the press “began behaving like opposition activists.”

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Police arrested 1153 people on drug charges in 2010, show police statistics

Maldives police arrested1153 persons on drug charges in 2010, according to statistics released by the Drug Enforcement Department (DED), a reduction on the 1834 arrests made in 2009.

Police statistics showed that in 2009, 19 persons accused of dealing illegal narcotics on a large scale were arrested, with  10 of the 19 cases were sent to the courts to for trial.

In 2010, 48 ‘large scale’ dealers were arrested and 33 cases were investigated, while 25 of the cases were sent to Prosecutor General’s office.

In additional, during 2010 police seized 3.3 kilograms of heroin, 5.5 kilograms of cannabis and 790 bottles of alcohol, a total street value police claimed was Rf11.2 Million (US$870,000).

Head of DED,Police Superintendent Mohamed Jinah, said that police had reduced the spread of drugs by 50 percent during the last two years.

Last year 7218 persons were searched while 175 police special operations were conducted in Male’. 95 operations were conducted in the islands.

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Adhaalath Party joins political condemnation of Velezinee attack

The Adhaalath Party has today joined a growing number of political voices in condemning the attack on Presidential Member of Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Aishath Velezinee.

Velezinee was attacked yesterday morning in Chandhanee Magu, while she was walking down the street, leading to strong criticism from President Mohamed Nasheed and his cabinet.

Haveeru had reported that attackers travelling on two motorbikes came at Velezinee while she was walking down the street, stabbing her at three separate points in the back.

Police have said that no suspects have yet been charged in connection with the attacks, which they claim serve to highlight growing concerns over gang violence in the capital.

The religious Adhaalath party released a statement strongly critical of the perpetrators of the crime.

”The attack on Aishath Velezinee is a very degraded and an uncivilized action,” said the Adhaalath Party. ” The Adhaalath Party condemns this action in strongest possible terms.”

Adhaalath Party called on Maldivians to stop committing what it called inhumane activities.

”We also call on the concerned authorities to identify the attacker and to present them before justice.”

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that so far no persons had been arrested in connection with the attack and there were no updates on the case yet.

The police issued a statement today expressing concern over the rise in gang violence and called on everyone to co-operate with the police to curb the rise in gang violence in Male’.

”It is very concerning that the gang violence in Male’ is progressing and becoming more serious during a time  police is working to curb the violence under a three year strategic plan,” said police. ”These sort of crimes could be prevented with the co-operation of all institutes, independent commissions, politicians and citizens.”

The Maldives Police Service said that it would take any actions necessary against those committing such serious crimes and would not hesitate to bring them to justice.

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Police strategy launch focused on challenges of expansion and “emerging” crimes

Despite uncertainty over funding allocated by the 2011 budget, the Maldives Police Service has today unveiled commitments to try and expand its services among a wider number of islands in the Maldives, whilst also prioritising the prevention of “emerging” threats like cyber crime and human trafficking.

The commitments were announced as part of a new strategic plan outlining key focus areas for police between 2011 and 2013. These focuses include aims to extend measures on the prevention of cyber crime, human trafficking, “extremist ideologies” and piracy, along with more day to day crimes such as theft, violence and drug abuse.

Yoonus Sobah, head of the Bureau of Criminal Records and a member of the Police Service’s strategic development department, told Minivan News that any new commitments outlined for policing the nation were tied, and perhaps limited, to the 2011 state budget that had just been passed yesterday.

Saboh said that the force had not therefore outlined any additional projects in the “short run”, such as new island-based police stations or other service extensions.

“Our goal is to have our services increased across the islands, though this has to be linked to the budget,” he said. “Initially, this means there will be no new police stations constructed, though there are five additional structures in development across a number of islands that were already planned.”

According to Sobah, as part of strategy to try and improve delivery of policing across the country, the service is moving ahead with “decentralisation plans” to try and create a strong presence across the country’s capital islands. Such a focus is expected to allow for cases that were previously transferred to Male’ to be examined on a more local regional basis instead, according to the Police Service spokesperson.

On a wider national scale, Sobah said that the new police strategy would aim to increasingly deal with “emerging” larger-scale crimes such as financial misconduct, people smuggling and even maritime protection in conjunction with groups like the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF).
“Alongside our commitments to street crime, we will try and prioritise on bigger cases that we are not as experienced in solving, such as cyber crime,” he said.

Sobah added that so called larger or “emerging” crimes also involved potential external threats such as terrorism, piracy and financial crime.

Speaking today during the unveiling of the new three year police strategy at the Iskandhar Koshi bulding, Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh highlighted the importance of serving the people with loyalty and integrity and how the new strategic plan could help met these aims.

“The purpose of the police is to enforce the law and maintain a peaceful environment in the society,” said Faseeh. “This strategic plan was established after conducting research with the practical assistance of the Scottish police.”

In addressing the challenge of “emerging” criminal activity in the Maldives such as cyber crimes, the commissioner said he believed progress was already being made.

”The police have achieved satisfying progress in the last three years when we worked under the recent strategic plan,” he added.

Home minister Afeef claimed that although the last police strategic plan was not fully successful in meeting its aims, police achieved satisfying results nonetheless.

”Other institutions related to the work of the police should also cooperate more to achieve their best,” said Afeef. ”Police are ready to take the risk, although they have to deal with the most violent criminals in the country.”

He also appealed for witnesses at crime scenes to be more cooperative with the police when providing information.

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