MDP activists acquitted in civil servant obstruction case

Criminal Court has found two activists of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) not guilty of obstructing the duties of a civil servant.

The defendants were Mohamed Sodhree and Hussain Ilham.

The court referred to the State’s claim that the two activists shouted using offensive language at the Civil Service Bureau at MATI Building at around 1:00 p.m. on 1 February 2010, and said that the witnesses provided by the State were not able to clarify to the court through their testimonies, the exact words used by the two activists.

The court further said that their entrance was not illegal since the office is open to the public, and the time that they allegedly entered the office was during staff lunch break.

Sufficient evidence was not presented to prove that the two activists obstructed a civil servant while he was carrying out his duties, read the verdict.