Five prison officers charged for smuggling drugs and phones to prisons

Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) has pressed charges against Maldives Correctional Service’s five prison officers.

In a statement on Friday, PG Office said they received a case investigated by Maldives Police Service involving several Corrections officers who are suspected of defying their legal responsibilities, obtaining an undue financial benefit by committing an illegal act on their jobs, and carrying out financial transactions that do not correspond to their jobs.

Charges were filed with the Criminal Court against five suspects involved in the case on Thursday, said the Office which identified them as follows:

• Jinaah Abdul Raheem, Ivory House, R. Ungoofaru
• Ali Hisham, Beach House, K. Maafushi
• Ali Nazim, Tharaange, HDh. Neykurendhoo
• Mohamed Fathooh Fathuhulla, Kulhavahge, GA. Villingili
• Ali Ashfag, Kamineege, N. Landhoo

Jinaah and Husham have been charged with misusing official capacity, money laundering and illicit enrichment.

Nazim, Fathooh and Ashfag have been charged with misusing official capacity and illicit enrichment.

PG Office said they have decided not to file charges against the remaining suspects in the case for the time being due to insufficient evidence to press charges.  

It was stressed that the decision on pressing charges against additional suspects involved will be made once the investigation, which is still ongoing, is completed.

Charges were sought against 13 prison officers in connection to smuggling drugs into prisons on August 10^th.

The case involved prison officers who are still employed with Corrections and prison officers who have already resigned from their posts.

Home Minister Ali Ihusan has affirmed that the officers who resigned will nevertheless face criminal charges while stressing the government will not make any exceptions and will take strict action against all the culpable parties in the case.