Disapprove Thimarafushi Constituency Vote Rigging Inadequate-EC Lawyer

High Court last Thursday heard the Thimarafushi constituency vote rigging during parliamentary election but the layer at the court who represented Elections Commission said the enough evidence was not submitted to disapprove the accuracy of the vote. The hearing Thursday, a report submitted by the Human Rights Commission (HRCM), accused elections official at the ballot station of pressing voters to vote for a certain candidate and the situation in the island had been a nightmare that voting in the island was far from being free and fair. Most of the witnesses at the court were representatives from the Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) with which Ghassan was nominated. Some witnesses were Dhives Daily (DRP News paper) reporters. The Human Rights Commission report has said the officials at the voting station has conducted series of irregularities against law and those witness against the ballot said during the day of voting voters were intimidated and has influenced the vote. However, Elections Commission Lawyer said although the witness against the ballot it did not find enough evidence to void the vote and disapprove its accuracy.

House belonging to Qassan’s witness destroyed in fire

The house of the witness, who gave evidence to support former President’s son Qassan Maumoon in High Court yesterday, has been destroyed in a fire that broke out 2130 hours last night. Qassan’s witness, Usha Rasheed lives in a house called Ummeedh in Thimarafushi along with her husband. Maldives Police have said that there were casualties and that fire was extinguished quickly by police officers with the help of the islanders. Even though it is not determined whether the fire broke out due to a deliberate act aimed at destroying the house or accidental caused by electrical shortage, Qassan’s campaign office have claimed that the house was deliberately torched and that it was well planned. In a statement issued early this morning Qassan’s campaign office condemned the act in strong words and revealed that prior to incident Usha Rasheed , Qassan’s witness, received telephone warnings and threats. The statement further called on to bring an immediate end to all such acts. “We are monitoring the condition of the people who suffered ,we have reported the matter to the police and asked them to a make special effort in protecting the safety of the other 6 witnesses who gave evidence in court today as well as for the safety of all people of the Thimarafushi” the statement read. The statement also called on Police to apprehend the people responsible for the act and to bring them to justice. Qassan Maumoon, submitted witness statements to High Court yesterday to support his claim that the vote in the recent parliamentary elections had been rigged against him. Qassan , DRP candidate who contested the Thimarafushi constituency filed his case in court last week, appealing for the annulment of the elections result for Thaa atoll Thimarafushi constituency and take a fresh vote. Last week, Elections Commission announced the final results of all constituencies except Thimarafushi after a High Court ruling ordered the commission to postpone announcing the constituency’s results pending conclusion of the case. Election Commission member Fuad Thoufeeq has said he believed the problems reported in the constituency would not any impact on the overall result; he confirmed 115 missing ballot papers from the ballot box were blank.

Rf. 12 m to be issued in soft loans to develop agriculture - Minister

Over Rf.12 million are to be issued as soft loans to develop agriculture, fisheries minister Dr. Ibrahim Didi has revealed.

Speaking at a press conference held at press room Fansavees/ Dharubaaruge on Thursday, fisheries minister Didi said the under the government’s project to provide financial assistance to farmers some Rf. 12,125,000 are to be given in soft loans. He revealed that the maximum amount an individual farmer may receive as loan would be Rf.50, 000 and registered Corporative Societies are entitled to a maximum loan amount of Rf.500, 000.

Those who have taken islands from the government on long term lease for purposes of agricultural development may receive a maximum loan of Rf.300, 000 and community based organizations would be entitled to a maximum of loan of Rf.100,000.

Fisheries minister further said over Rf. 1,330,000 are to be issued in soft loans fro development of hydroponic agriculture. Under this project, farmers may receive a maximum loan of Rf.100, 000 and a minimum of Rf.15, 000.

Minister Didi said application for loans would be accepted from Sunday onwards for a period of three months.

One of six alleged drug-lords arrested one month before elections

One of the six major drug dealers operating in the country, who were mentioned by President Mohamed Nasheed during a speech earlier this month, had in fact been arrested one month before the parliamentary elections took place, the Maldives Police Service has said.

A Police Media Official said on Tuesday that Hussain Mohamed Manik, of H. Rehi, was one among the drug dealers mentioned by President Nasheed and he had been arrested on 9 April. Following the arrest, Police issued a statement which said that Hussain’s arrest was a really big step forward in their war against drug trafficking. They had released details, including a picture, on 16 April.

President Nasheed had made the controversial speech about knowing the identities of the six major drug dealers operating in the country in Gaafu Alifu atoll Dhevvadhoo during the election campaigns. Speaking to the residents of the island, President Nasheed said that if the identities were revealed and the drug-lords arrested he would be criticized as having arrested people who did not support the Government.

A statement issued by the Police on Tuesday said that Hussain Mohamed Manik had been arrested with ample evidence to back the case against him and that the investigation was still ongoing. A Police Media Official said that the statement had been issued by the Police in order to clear up the misconception among the public that they were not doing anything to arrest the drug dealers in the country despite knowing their identities.

According to the press release issued by the Police on 16 April, Hussain Mohamed Manik was one of the two people who were arrested in connection to the case where an elderly couple had been duped into smuggling more than 1kg of drugs hidden inside some kitchen utensils in their baggage. The press release had further called Hussain Mohamed Manik a ‘high profile person’ in the drug trade.

The statement issued by the Police on Tuesday assured the public that they were working non-stop to gather evidence and intelligence against the major drug dealers in the country and to arrest them and bring them to justice.

Man arrested for sexually molesting nine-year-old

A man in Gaafu Alifu atoll Villingilli has been arrested on charges of sexually molesting a nine-year-old girl.

A Police official said on Wednesday that the young man who was arrested in connection to the case was a person who frequently visited the girl’s house. According to reporter, the man that had been arrested by the Police in connection to the case is Abdulla Areef, 24, of Farimaa.

The Police official further said that the man had committed the act when the little girl had gone into the open-air toilet in her house last Sunday night. A man who lives in the two storey building adjacent to the toilet had spied the man molesting the child and reported it to the Police, the official said.

The official said that the extent of the injuries to the girl would be known after the doctor’s report was finished and that they were still investigating the case.

Police Hunting for President Tipped 6 Drug Lords

Government in its commitment to eradicate illegal drug trafficking is now hot on the trail of the 6 drug lords, the press secretary of the president’s office Mohamed Zuhair said is hopeful Maldives Police will uproot the lords. He said president’s office has now the information of the operation to bring these criminals to justice.

During the campaign for the parliament last month, President Mohamed Nasheed in a speech indicated that he has information of some six drug lords that if they are brought heal it would be easy to eradicate the illegal abuse and trafficking the illicit activities. He said he could not arrest them then as it was in the time of election that critics and others may consider the move as political.

Zuhair said that president made his remarks because president was informed by the police of the people whose arrest would stop the illegal trade. He said the information also highlighted a large network had been running the illicit business and police will continue to locate the foundations of the indicated drug lords.

Despite Zuhair’s briefing Police declined to comment and Zuhair said the ongoing investigation to find these people, he is not able to give any further detail.

Maldivian boy screened for swine flue tested negative

A 10 year old Maldivian boy arriving from India yesterday afternoon via Indian Airlines was screened for swine flue after the boy showed flue like symptoms. However the test results turned negative.

The investigations were carried out at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and until the results was received the boy was kept under the care of Port Health Authority at Male’ International Airport.

Early this month a 22 year old British woman was also screened for swine flue, after she showed flue like symptoms and she was transferred to quarantine center in Funadhoo Island, she was later tested negative.

In order to prevent an out break of swine flue in Maldives, passengers arriving Maldives though sea ports and airports are being screened for swine flue (A H1N1 virus). In this regard, over 33,000 passengers have been screened, including some 3000 passengers coming from affected countries. So far no one has been tested positive.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) latest statistics swine flue has been detected in 39 countries. A total of 8480 people affected with 72 fatalities.

The WHO has reported that the virus has been detected in Asian countries like Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand. Indian health authorities on Saturday confirmed that a passenger who had arrived in Hyderabad from New York, America, has tested positive for the Swine Flu virus, Influenza A H1N1.

Health ministry has called on the travelling public to exercise caution when travelling abroad. Symptoms of the disease include watery nose, coughing, fever, sneezing and shortness of breath.