Govt’s new gang bill sent to committee for review

The Parliament on Wednesday accepted a new anti-gang crime bill formulated by the government.

The new bill, which will replace the existing Anti-Gang Crime Act, is sponsored by South Machangolhi MP Mustafa Hussain.

It was accepted into the Parliament with a unanimous vote of 42 on Wednesday morning, and sent to the Judiciary Committee for review.

According to Mustafa, the main goal of the new legislature is to protect the community from gang-related crime and other dangerous and major crimes that create fear within the community, and to create a detailed legislative framework and enhance law enforcement to combat such crimes.

The key objectives listed in the bill includes:

• Define penalties for offenses related to major organized crimes and dangerous crimes.
• Grant additional powers to law enforcement agencies to combat major organized crimes and dangerous crimes.
• Formulate special policies to save offenders from a life of crime, rehabilitate them and reintegrate them back into society.
• Formulate special policies to monitor known criminals.

The bill defines ‘major organized crimes’ as crimes committed by an organized criminal group such as:

• Drug trafficking.
• Human trafficking.
• Trading in smuggled goods.
• Counterfeiting money.
• Dangerous crimes such as murder, assault, causing grievous bodily harm, kidnapping and intimidation.
• Violent crimes that carry a penalty of more than 10 years in prison.

Tackling gang-related crimes had also been named by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration as one of its top priorities.

In November last year, Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan said that the administration plans to eradicate all major gangs in the Maldives.