PG: Existing Act on Prohibition of Gang Violence ineffective

Prosecutor General (PG) Hussain Shameem, underscoring only one charge has been raised under the Act on Prohibition of Gang Violence to date, has remarked that the law, as it is presently, is ineffective.

In a press conference held by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) on Tuesday amidst the recent hike in gang violence among active gangs in Male’ area – PG Shameem said that the Act on Prohibition of Gang Violence cannot be enforced most effectively as the Act is outdated.

Explaining that implementation of certain things needs to be considered when they are written into legislature – PG Shameem said that the Act was written without consideration of such matters.

“People will not register a gang, saying they are a gang or a criminal organization. What is being witnessed at present is legislature being written without consideration of their operations and such. The matter is of great concern to us. The government, prioritizing the issue, is undertaking serious efforts in this trajectory,” he said.

PG Shameem said that he visions solving the issue is through codifying all criminal offenses into the Penal Code; a work currently being undertaken by the Attorney General’s Office.

Underscoring efforts by the government to decrease gang crimes – PG Shameem highlighted that the president had incepted a special task force to counter gang crimes. He added that a special operation collaboratively launched by Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defense Force has significantly decreased gang crimes.

While gang violence stirs up Male’ area intermittently – a youth was stabbed inside a shop on Friday night, linked to a row between gangs. Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed reports four gangs are involved in the gang crimes presently wreaking havoc in Male’ City.