Ali Waheed fails to return despite guarantor's request

Former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed who has been charged with several counts of sexual assault, has failed to return to Maldives despite request by guarantor, Assad Ali.

The last hearing in connection to the case was held at the Criminal Court on November 28, where Judge Hassan Saeed issued a bench order to arrest Ali Waheed and bring him to the hearings under policy custody, and that state minister for Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Assad Ali, who signed as a guarantor deal for Waheed to travel overseas, will be penalized as well.

As such, the court ordered the guarantor to present Ali Waheed to court within 72 hours and warned him of action should he fail to do so.

Waheed traveled to UK after signing a guarantor deal with Assad and was given a four-month medical leave. He departed shortly after being granted the request to travel, on February 9. The period granted to him ended in June.

Following the last hearing, Assad had addressed an email to Ali Waheed, urging his return, to which he responded by saying that he was under immigration custody and that he had informed the Criminal Court of this during August as well.

In his letter, the former minister claimed that there was nowhere he wanted to be, more than Maldives, highlighting that he already has tickets to return.

Assad had detailed in his letter that he would help Ali Waheed with the tickets as well.

He also addressed a letter to the Criminal Court, explaining the situation and highlighting that he had signed on as guarantor for a four-month period, during which there were no court orders to present Ali Waheed to court.

The state minister also addressed a letter to the High Commissioner of Maldives to the United Kingdom, Dr. Farahanaz Faizal for assistance in aiding his return.

Assad is to have requested to review the decision to penalize him in connection to the case and requested to grant him the opportunity to appoint legal representation and explain himself at court through a scheduled hearing.

The disgraced ex-minister who has been charged with several counts of sexual assault, was arrested on August 25 while in hiding in the UK, through Interpol. He was preparing for a press conference at the time of the arrest. Ali Waheed’s visa had expired on August 10. 12 days after his arrest from the UK, Maldives Police Service (MPS) was officially informed of Ali Waheed’s arrest on September 7.

Since then, Media Official at the Maldives Police Service has commented that efforts were being made with Interpol to ensure that Waheed is extradited to do his time as per a Supreme Court sentencing issued for contempt of court. The police also said that Police to Police Cooperation was being conducted in the matter.

He is being extradited to fulfil his sentencing of two months and 12 days, due to contempt of court. This is being done with the aid of Correctional officers at the Maldivian Correctional Service, as the MCS was ordered to enforce the sentencing. However, he still remains overseas.

While the former minister is accused of sexually assaulting ministry employees, seven charges were raised against him in November 2020; including one count of attempted rape, one count of sexual abuse, one count of indecent exposure, one count of sexual harassment and one count of attempted sexual harassment. He is also charged with two counts of solicitation of sexual favors.

Following the allegations against Waheed, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ordered him to resign and consecutively stripped him from the ministerial post after he failed to forward a resignation letter.

Waheed claims that the sexual assault allegations against him were “politically motivated”.