Police share “concern” over sex abuse case delay

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that despite reservations from the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) about delays in supplying information requested on the case, the Police Service was waiting on additional documents that had not currently been made available, even to itself.

“Actually, the investigation team had briefed the Commission [PIC] on its work,” he said. “The PIC have also requested information on our investigations, but we are still waiting on documents from other authorities, not just those within the police.”

Shiyam was unable to give details “as of yet” on the nature of the documents that the Maldives Police Service was waiting on, though he claimed the force was trying to get the information as soon as possible. Shiyam said he accepted that there “was concern about delaying the case” within the Maldives Police Force in relation to its reputation among the public.

A spokesperson for the PIC told Minivan News that growing “media interest” into allegations of sexual abuse being carried out from within the Police Force had led to growing “concern about when the case will be sent to the Prosecutor General”.

PIC Commissioner Shahinda Ismail yesterday told Haveeru that the independent body had requested investigation reports concerning the sexual abuse allegations from the Police Service, but had been unable to get the information so far.

According to Shahinda, the Police Service is required under the Police Act to provide any information that has been requested by the PIC.

The PIC was established in its current form back in 2008 under the Police Act to work to indentify and investigate any alleged offences committed by employees of the Maldives Police Force.