Senior officials of the Maldives Police Service obstructed an ongoing investigation into the conduct of law enforcement, the National Integrity Commission has alleged.
RaajjeMV has been informed by a source from within the commission that officers had made its staff delete photographs they had taken of prisoner holding cells operated by the police in Villingili of Gaafu Alifu Atoll.
The commission staff had visited said holding cells and asked officers if they could photograph the area. Despite having the legal authority to do so, the staff obliged with the police’s demand to have this request made in writing.
A post from the commission’s chief, Yusuf Maaniu, on his official Twitter account lends strength to this, where he said that ‘those that obstruct’ investigations will face the ‘full legal’ authority of the commission.
Time for diplomacy is over those even in @PoliceMv leadership who obstruct our investigations will face the full legal power of NIC. We will succeed in protecting INNOCENT civilians and police officers as well. Allah Bless.
— Maaniu (@yoosufmaaniu) November 18, 2017
The ‘National Integrity Commission’ bill, which was ratified in 2015, gives the commission authority to penalize those that obstruct their investigation.
Maaniu told RaajjeMV that they are in talks with the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority to set a fine – which ranges from MVR 500 to 500,000 – against those that are found to have done so.
