Politics
High Court concludes hearings in ex-defence minister’s appeal
The High Court heard closing statements today in former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim’s appeal of his 11-year jail sentence on a weapons smuggling charge. Presiding Judge Abdul Rauf Ibrahim said a verdict will be delivered at the final hearing. Lawyers will be duly notified of a date, he said.
05 Jan 2016, 09:00
Ex-defence minister granted medical leave for heart surgery in Singapore
The Maldives Correctional Services this week approved a 15-day medical leave for the retired colonel to undergo a heart surgery in Singapore. A final hearing in the appeal of Nazim’s 11-year jail sentence on a weapons smuggling charge is meanwhile due to take place tomorrow.
04 Jan 2016, 09:00
Former Vice President, top tourism official face fresh corruption charges
The Prosecutor General’s office has meanwhile filed money laundering charges against Hamid Ismail – an influential businessman related to detained former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb – at the criminal court this morning. According to the police, acquisition fees paid to the government’s tourism promotion company for a resort lease were deposited into the accounts of a company linked to Hamid, instead of the state treasury.
04 Jan 2016, 09:00
Maldives heading towards safety and stability, says home minister
Citing a steady decline in the crime rate, Umar Naseer said that the Maldives is heading towards a “safer and more stable” future under the current administration. But critics say the police statistics are misleading as many Maldivians lack confidence in the police institution and do not report crimes.
04 Jan 2016, 09:00
“Miscommunication” delaying release of alleged Sri Lankan sniper
“Local investigators in Malé have repeatedly informed me that they were waiting for the all-clear from the authorities in Colombo on the detained Sri Lankan before moves could be made to release him but there appear to be certain shortcomings,” the suspect’s defence lawyer told Sri Lankan media.
04 Jan 2016, 09:00
Elections Commission processing membership forms ahead of mass de-registration
“We are trying to process the forms sent in December by the end of January. We will be deregistering any membership form without fingerprints after that,” commission member Ahmed Akram told The Maldives Independent today.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Japan opens resident embassy in Maldives
“The government of the Maldives believes that the new embassy would completely change the dynamics of Maldives-Japan relations as it will help open-up new avenues for cooperation that would propel relations to new heights,” the foreign ministry said.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Government denies Sri Lanka blacklisted foreign minister and MP
Newspaper Haveeru reported today that the pair were also held for more than an hour at the airport before being told they were blacklisted “by mistake.” Dunya and Faris – children of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – reportedly traveled to Colombo on an unofficial visit in late December.
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Watchdog rules out corruption in sale of luxury flats to state officials
“It must be noted that the government provided the opportunity to buy the flats for MVR1.6 million (US$103,761), when the government paid over MVR938,000 (US$60,830),” the ACC explained, stressing that the flats were sold for a profit of MVR600,000 (US$38,910).
03 Jan 2016, 09:00
Police question witnesses over disputed document on Nasheed’s house arrest
After accompanying a witness to the police headquarters last night, Mahfooz Saeed from Nasheed’s legal team told the press that the police have assured lawyers the investigation will be completed in two weeks. The witnesses were present when an officer from the Maldives Correctional Service presented the document to the former president at his residence, Maafanu Yaagoothuge, in Malé.
31 Dec 2015, 09:00
Army captain testifies in ex-defence minister’s appeal hearing
During Nazim’s trial in March, the criminal court had refused to call all but two of the 37 defence witnesses, claiming some were not relevant while others could not negate the prosecution’s claims. Yesterday’s appeal hearing was closed to the media, but Captain Ali Ihusan was seen entering the court.
29 Dec 2015, 09:00
Maldives signs anti-human trafficking protocol
The Maldives today acceded to the the ‘Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children,’ a protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
Police deny clearing former vice president of attempted murder charges
The police have threatened to take legal action against Adeeb’s lawyer Hussain Shameem, who said yesterday that the police have confirmed that the former vice president has been cleared of suspicion over the alleged attempt to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen.
28 Dec 2015, 09:00
High Court to summon witnesses for ex-defence minister’s appeal
Mohamed Nazim’s lawyer also asked the High Court to consider sentencing him under the new penal code if judges decide to uphold the criminal court’s 11-year sentence on a weapons smuggling charge. Under the new penal code, weapons possession carries a jail term of less than one year.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
Civil Service Commission denies rumours of laying off elderly employees
After facing criticism over its silence on the issue, the CSC said in a statement yesterday that the finance ministry staff made redundant by restructuring will be dealt with in accordance with chapter five of the civil service regulations. Uncertainty over job security prompted dozens of civil servants at the ministry to go on strike last Tuesday.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
MDP launches recruitment drive to re-register members
The MDP said in a statement on Thursday that it is aiming to re-register more than 23,000 -nearly half of its 48,000 members – before the end of the month. The Elections Commission had imposed a deadline of December 31 for parties to re-register members who had submitted membership forms before a requirement for fingerprints was enforced.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
Former vice president “cleared” of boat blast allegations
“According to the police, Adeeb is now only accused in the [Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation corruption] case. Apart from questions posed on the first day over the boat blast, no further questions have been put to Ahmed Adeeb in the investigation,” the former vice president’s lawyers said today.
27 Dec 2015, 09:00
Yameen condemned for threats against civil servants
President Abdulla Yameen’s threats against striking civil servants has enraged human rights advocates and opposition parties, with some describing the warning as high-handed and yet another example of a deepening crackdown on civil rights.
23 Dec 2015, 09:00
President threatens to cut wages for striking staff
“They don’t have to protest for their jobs. They will remain in government jobs. But no government employee should tell me, ‘I will work at this office.’ That’s not something they can say. The government will decide that based on the level of skill and training,” Yameen said last night in the wake of a historic strike by staff at the finance ministry over imminent mass job cuts.
23 Dec 2015, 09:00
Nasheed petitions lower courts to secure release
After appealing former President Mohamed Nasheed’s 13-year sentence at the Supreme Court this week, the opposition leader’s lawyers are now petitioning the lower courts to secure his release from prison. They are “seeking a solution through the judiciary” as urged by President Abdulla Yameen.
22 Dec 2015, 09:00
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