Five senior police officers who were recommended for dismissal by the Police Board have filed a case with the Civil Court to challenge their dismissal.
The new Maldives Police Service Act requires the Police Board, within four months of its formation, to make a recommendation on the dismissal of commissioned officers above superintendent rank, except the police commissioner, based on whether they have been reported to any government organization or a commission for abuse of power, committing inhumane acts, or corruption.
Using the authority granted to it by the new police statute, the Board recommended to the police commissioner in August that seven senior officers be removed.
The police commissioner has the authority to enforce the Board’s decision under the Act, although the legislation does not provide a time frame for doing so.
The Police Board reportedly recommended the dismissal of Assistant Commissioner of Police Faruhadh Fikury, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ahmed Mohamed, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohamed Jamsheed, Chief Superintendent of Police Abdulla Shareef, Chief Superintendent of Police Ahmed Shuhaadh, Superintendent of Police Mohamed Dawood, and Superintendent of Police Ismail Shameem.
According to sources, out of the seven policemen, Jamsheed and Mohamed have been handed termination letters by the police commissioner that are due on October 10, but no decision has been made on the sacking of the remaining five officers.
Five of these seven policemen are parties to the case that has been presented to the Civil Court. Faruhad Fikury and Ahmed Shuhaadh are the officers who are not named in the lawsuit.
Dhivehi Chambers, a law firm, is representing the five policemen who filed the lawsuit. According to a statement published on Wednesday by the law firm, when the decision to dismiss the officers was taken, they were not given an opportunity to respond. It said that the case was brought to seek redress for the officers’ administrative and constitutional rights that had been infringed.
The lawsuit has been accepted by the Civil Court, and a hearing has been set for 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.
