Criminal court orders release of Nazim, Musthafa from police custody
| DATE: 2010-07-20 | PRINT | Share
Police arrested Nazim and Musthafa late Monday night under an arrest warrant issued by Criminal Court judge Abdul Baaree Yusuf.
Musthafa - who has often "mistakenly" voted in favour of opposition stands and occasionally criticised MDP in parliament - is the first ruling party MP to be arrested in the government’s crackdown on alleged corruption in the parliament.
Police claim that opposition MP Nazim – who was already confined to 15 days house arrest by the High Court on earlier charges including bribing parliamentarians – and Musthafa offered US$6000 and three air tickets to an unidentified judge overseeing a civil case which involved the two men.
The Criminal Court arrest warrant stated that police had presented audio clips and copies of travel documents as evidence. Nazim and Musthafa must be arrested in anticipation of evidence destruction and witness intimidation, the warrant read.
But after a hearing on their custody period the court late Tuesday afternoon ruled that there were no legal grounds to hold Nazim and Musthafa in custody.
Chief Judge Abdulla said the decision was made with reference to article 49 of the constitution which states the reasons for confinement, arguments from both sides and materials presented as evidence.
At the hearing Musthafa accused the government of “sacrificing” him to justify its actions to the international community and claimed he was tortured by police while in custody. Later he told journalists that he would put forward defamation charges against the government seeking damages for physical and psychological abuse and grief caused to the people of Thimarafushi constituency by his arrest.
Nazim claimed police had abandoned earlier charges while arresting him Monday night and argued that Tuesday’s Criminal Court ruling freed him from house arrest too. Police did not comment on the claim but said investigations were still underway.
| DATE: 2010-07-20 | PRINT | Share
Nazim (L) and Musthafa enter the Justice Building Tuesday for a Criminal Court hearing on their custody period. HAVEERU PHOTO/ NASRULLA SALIH
Police arrested Nazim and Musthafa late Monday night under an arrest warrant issued by Criminal Court judge Abdul Baaree Yusuf.
Musthafa - who has often "mistakenly" voted in favour of opposition stands and occasionally criticised MDP in parliament - is the first ruling party MP to be arrested in the government’s crackdown on alleged corruption in the parliament.
Police claim that opposition MP Nazim – who was already confined to 15 days house arrest by the High Court on earlier charges including bribing parliamentarians – and Musthafa offered US$6000 and three air tickets to an unidentified judge overseeing a civil case which involved the two men.
The Criminal Court arrest warrant stated that police had presented audio clips and copies of travel documents as evidence. Nazim and Musthafa must be arrested in anticipation of evidence destruction and witness intimidation, the warrant read.
But after a hearing on their custody period the court late Tuesday afternoon ruled that there were no legal grounds to hold Nazim and Musthafa in custody.
Chief Judge Abdulla said the decision was made with reference to article 49 of the constitution which states the reasons for confinement, arguments from both sides and materials presented as evidence.
At the hearing Musthafa accused the government of “sacrificing” him to justify its actions to the international community and claimed he was tortured by police while in custody. Later he told journalists that he would put forward defamation charges against the government seeking damages for physical and psychological abuse and grief caused to the people of Thimarafushi constituency by his arrest.
Nazim claimed police had abandoned earlier charges while arresting him Monday night and argued that Tuesday’s Criminal Court ruling freed him from house arrest too. Police did not comment on the claim but said investigations were still underway.
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