5 people prosecuted for human trafficking in 2016

Minister of Economic Development, Mohamed Saeed has announced that five people have been prosecuted and sentenced over human trafficking this year.

The announcement came during a joint-press conference by government authorities, held at Ministry of Economic Development this Sunday.

Minister Saeed said that human trafficking was a complex issue, and that it was taking place in Maldives, same as the rest of the world.

“We are living in a globalized word, with Maldives integrated in international transactions. This taking place in Maldives is unavoidable. This is why the law regarding this was made. We are trying to put a stop to it through stronger law enforcement,” said Saeed.

Head of Serious and Organized Crime Department of Maldives Police Service, Superintendent of Police, Ahmed Shatheeh said there had been an increase in number of human trafficking cases reported to police since the Anti-Human Trafficking Act was made.

He said that human trafficking cases were investigated with a great degree of seriousness, but that the biggest problem they faced was lack of cooperation from victims.

He said that such cases cannot be investigated without the consent of victims.

Shatheeh said that three human trafficking cases were investigated and sent to Prosecutor General’s Office in 2016.

Statistics show that two human trafficking cases were reported to police in 2013, and eight human trafficking cases have been reported to police so far in 2016 – post Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

Senior Public Prosecutor of Prosecutor General’s Office, Ahmed Hisham Wajeeh said that cases against five suspects in human trafficking cases were filed with the court in 2016, and that one of the suspects had been sentenced.

“Five people have already been prosecuted. There are cases with Maldivian involvement as well. We are prosecuting them as much as we receive evidence,” said Hisham.

Hisham also noted that prosecution in such cases were challenging.

“According to law, victim statements are evidence. The victims wish to return to their home country as soon as possible. Prosecution is unable to obtain the necessary evidence in such cases because they want to skip the legal procedure and leave,” said Hisham.

He, however, said that PG Office had made great progress in prosecuting in human trafficking cases.

Hisham said that PG Office was working with police during the investigation, and filing for prosecution as soon as the investigation was complete.