Supreme Court upholds dismissal of Policeman accused of rape

The Supreme Court of Maldives has ruled that a police officer who took part in the kidnapping and rape of a woman was dismissed from the force correctly.

The woman was forcefully abducted and taken by a car to a location where she was raped. Corporal Ali Nasheed from Finivaage, H.A Kelaa was dismissed from the force for taking part in the crime that occurred in the early hours of August 6, 2010.

Four police officers were accused of taking part in the rape. They are Chief Inspector of Police Hussain Rishif Thoha, Constable Husham Hameed, Corporal Mohamed Fayaz and Corporal Nasheed.

Nasheed was dismissed from the force on September 14, 2010, after the disciplinary board that investigated the crime found that he had taken part in the crime and violated the police code of conduct and code of ethics. The board also found that the statements of Nasheed during the investigation had contradictions and that he had tried to fabricate the truth.

He was dismissed regarding the serious nature of the crime and the conduct which was not up to the standards expected of the police service and would degrade the public trust in the institution, according to the ruling by the disciplinary board.

How did the case go to Supreme Court?

The decision of the board was taken to the Civil Court which ruled that it was incorrect. The lower court found that the state had not presented any connective evidence between Corporal Nasheed and the crime in making the judgment and the state appealed the matter to the Supreme Court in 2013 after the High Court also ruled to uphold the verdict of the Civil Court.

The appeal case was concluded yesterday, by a bench that included Justice Husnu Al Suood, Justice Esmeralda Zahir and Justice Aisha Shujoon. The Supreme Court found that the decisions of the lower courts were incorrect and sided with the disciplinary board that investigated the crime unanimously.