Parliament approves Hamid for Police Board

Parliament has approved Hamid Abdul Gafoor - a senior politician from main ruling party MDP and former South Henveiru MP – for appointment as a member of the Police Board – established under the new Police Service Act.

Hamid won the Parliament’s backing for appointment as a general member to Police Board with the vote of 41 parliamentarians this Monday.

Five candidates applied for the two seats for general members on the Police Board. However, none of the candidates, expect for Hamid, passed the parliamentary committee vetting process.

After the Parliament took its vote on Hamid, Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed announced that the Parliament will open applications for remaining the general member seat later this Monday.

Hamid was one of the politicians arrested in a state of intoxication in a police raid on Hondaidhoo Island in 2012, during former President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s administration. Hamid, a parliamentarian at the time, entered the Parliament House and refused to leave to protest providing his urine sample to the police for the investigation into the case.

The law dictates Police Board must have seven members; two presidential appointees, three members with education and experience in the field, and two members from the general public.

The Police Board is charged with appointing the police commissioner and deputy police commissioners, conducting the vetting process for their appointment, and providing their counsel to the Home Minister and other officials they are legally obligated to counsel.