President appoints new police and military chiefs

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has dismissed the commissioner of police and chief of defence force and appointed newly-reinstated officers as their replacements.

Major General Abdulla Shamaal was appointed chief of defence force Tuesday evening, hours after the High Court ordered his reinstatement to the Maldives National Defence Force.

The court ruled his dismissal in November 2013 was unfair and overturned a civil court ruling in favour of the state.

Shamaal replaces Major General Ahmed Shiyam. Brigadier General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef was appointed the vice chief of defence force.

On Wednesday morning, the president promoted Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Hameed to deputy commissioner and appointed the intelligence chief as the interim in-charge of the Maldives Police Service.

Hameed returned to the police force earlier this month after the Supreme Court ruled his dismissal in August 2012 on suspicion of leaking confidential information was unfair.

Former police chief Hamdhoon Rasheed was dismissed after a brief tenure. He was appointed by former president Abdulla Yameen in the wake of his defeat in September’s election.

General Shamaal was among several senior officers who were sacked in a firing spree days after Yameen assumed office in November 2013. He was accused of leaking a letter expressing concern over the delays in concluding the presidential poll before the end of the five-year term.

The High Court ordered his reinstatement citing lack of evidence and due process violations as he was not offered an opportunity to defend himself.

Prior to his dismissal, Shamaal had served in the military for 25 years. He completed training courses from renowned military institutions and holds three masters degrees from universities in the United Kingdom, United States and India.