Former President Mohamed Nasheed speaking PHOTO/MDP
Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s Office hit back at Police for forwarding charges to the Prosecutor General’s Office against Nasheed over his detention of incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom during his government, declaring that the act was driven to acquire political benefits.
Police sent the case to the Prosecutor General’s Office last year. The case regarded President Yameen’s detention in Vaavu atoll Aarah island in 2010 under military custody, which Former President Nasheed had described as “protective custody”. President Yameen had been arrested on allegations of bribing parliamentarians and attempting to topple the government.
In a statement, Nasheed’s Office accused that there are political motives behind Police seeking to prosecute Nasheed. They declared that the PG should have thrown out the case as terrorism charges cannot be laid upon the former president.
In addition, the statement read that it is not possible to press charges under the now abolished Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The statement added that detention of political leaders and creating distress among the Cabinet during President Yameen’s regime will only lead to weaken the public.
The then Minister of Defence Ameen Faisal is also currently undergoing prosecution on terrorism charges over President Yameen’s detention in 2010.
Meanwhile, Former President Mohamed Nasheed has already been charged with terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in jail over the arbitrary detention of a judge during his regime. He is currently self-exiled in the United Kingdom after the government allowed him to depart for medical treatment.
The Civil Court had earlier in a verdict ordered Former President Nasheed to compensate President Yameen for the detention. However, the latter had refused the compensation.