Cases of those who refused to undergo urine tests would be sent to PG: MPS

The Maldives Police Services has said that the cases of those who refused to cooperate with the police when required to undergo a routine urine examination, following their arrest in a crime scene of alcohol and drug abuse, would be sent to the Prosecutor General for prosecution.

The police arrested two Members of Parliament and some senior politicians with some family members and foreigners on the night of last Thursday, in the island of Haa Dhaalu Hondaidhoo. When arrested, they were reportedly abusing alcoholic drinks and a kind of narcotic substance.

Police Sub-Inspector and Media Official Hassan Haneef today said that the police requested all the persons arrested at Hondaidhoo to provide urine samples for a routine examination, and that only Hamdhaan Zaki, G. Hilaalyge, and the three foreigners complied.

MP for Kaashidhoo Constituency Abdullah Jabir, MP for Henveiru Dhekunu Constituency Haamid Abdul Ghafoor, former President Nasheed’s Press Secretary Mahomet Zuhair, his wife Mariyam Faaiza, and former President Nasheed’s Chief Advisor Ibrahim Hussain Zaki are the ones who refused to cooperate with the police in the routine urine testing procedure.

This would be the second time for Hamid Abdul Ghafoor to be arrested and refuse a routine urine examination request by the police.

According to the Drug Act, Sections 123(a), 161(a) and 161(b), any person arrested on suspicion of having abused alcohol or narcotics has an obligation to comply with police requests for routine urine examination by promptly providing urine samples, and failure to comply is a criminal offence punishable with a one-year jail sentence.