Bill submitted to extend window for charges to 15 days

An amendment has been submitted to the Criminal Procedure Code to extend the time frame allowed for the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to file criminal charges to 15 days.

The law currently requires the PGO to file charges within 10 days cases are sent to them upon conclusion of police investigations.

The bill was submitted on behalf of the government by Ihavandhoo MP Mohamed Shifau.

It states that the PGO is required to file charges within 15 days cases are submitted to them.

The bill also states that in cases involving major felonies, the PGO may request to have the remand of suspects extended up to 60 days, instead of the current 45 days.

The bill states that suspects will need to be released if the PGO fails to file charges in time, or if the evidence is insufficient to press charges. And the PGO must file for a travel ban order for the suspects released under such circumstances, if required.

Shifau said the main purpose of the bill was to solve the challenges in executing the different procedures of the criminal justice system and to enforce the law, as well as to detail the circumstances under which a plea deal can be reached and the procedure for forming plea deals.