Video of a man allegedly threatening MC Hameed revealed to Committee

A video showing a policeman allegedly threatening the former police intelligence chief Mohamed Hameed (M.C. Hameed) has been viewed by the Parliamentary Committee on Oversight of the Government.

Hameed was allegedly threatened in relation to information he revealed to the Committee as part of the committee’s review of the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) report, which looks into the manner and legality of the transfer of power earlier last year.

M. C. Hameed has submitted a case to the committee saying that he was threatened by Police Staff Sergeant Mohamed Shifau (Valho Shifau) H. Thema. The committee allowed Hameed to be heard during its meeting today.

A letter submitted to the committee by Hameed states that Shifau had threatened him on the 6th of this month, and that he was followed in the street, starting from Medhu Ziyaarai Magu near Muliaage until he reached a restaurant in M. Bageechage called the Lemon Grass Fifth. The letter stated that Shifau had gone into the restaurant and had shouted loudly to threaten Hameed’s family.

The video allegedly showing Shifau’s threats show a person shouting and arguing with Hameed. The audio was not clear enough to understand what the two people were saying, although the video does shows Hameed staying still and silent at one point, trying to refrain from answer the other man’s shouts. The video also shows a woman standing beside M. C. Hameed.

Hameed has also submitted names of witnesses to the committee. The committee decided to submit the case the Police Integrity Commission and Human Rights Commission of the Maldives for investigation.

The committee chair Thoddoo MP Ali Waheed said that he will ask the Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid to request security for those who had provided information to the committee. The committee had made the same request to the speaker before.

Police Media Official Hassan Haneef said today that they will welcome any complaint regarding a police officer.