Parliament passes Maldives Police Service bill

The Parliament has passed the Police Service Bill along with amendments to the bill whereby senior police officers could be dismissed from their ranks. 

A total of 59 parliamentarians voted for the bill last night. 

According to an amendment to the bill submitted by MP for North Galolhu and Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla, the dismissal of police officers above the rank of a superintendent with the exception of the Commissioner of Police who is alleged to have committed or taken part in unethical and illegal activities is to be decided by the Police Board which is to be formed under the bill. 

The board will look into possible inhumane acts, misuse of power, and corruption alleged made towards these officers among others to decide whether or not to dismiss them. The board is also to take into account the education, ethics, service to the force, and the duration of the service as well as the nature of the allegations against the officers being investigated. 

After taking these factors into account, if the board finds on a balance of probabilities that the officer is not fit to fulfill his or her duties, the board can then decide to dismiss the officers and instruct the Commissioner of Police to do so. 

Reports into such investigations should also highlight any instances of extraordinary promotions or success, debt and income, prior investigations, and allegations of the officers in question. 

The police board to be formed is to consist of:

• Two members appointed by the President
• Three merit-based appointments of technical and experience.  
• Two appointed from the public after open applications.

Separate charges for mutiny among police 

The Police Service Bill also classifies mutiny as a separate crime, whereby police officers could be charged separately for actions of mutiny amounting to a coup if the bill becomes law.

According to the bill, a police officer could be charged with mutiny separately, and would not be exempt from a separate charge of mutiny under a separate act. This would not mean that the officer is being charged twice for the same offense separately.

Under the Criminal Procedure Code, mutiny is currently classified as a crime. The Committee amended the bill so that a separate chapter is included under crimes committed by the police, which also includes mutiny as a crime. 

Under the bill, police officers taking part in an act of mutiny or conspiring to do so is classified as a crime. The bill also gives a wide meaning to the definition of the crime of mutiny. Actions amounting to mutiny or instigating a coup according to the bill include depriving a senior officer of their power or authority, failure to carry out orders or instructions or refusing to attend duties when ordered so by senior officers in situations of threatening national security. Deprivation of officers from carrying out their duties, disobedience towards an officer on duty, forcefully taking weapons away from another officer, and damaging buildings, equipment used by police also amounts to mutiny. 

The bill also states that the Dhivehi term for the Maldives Police Service is also to be used on official documents rather than the term ‘Maldives Police Service’ which is currently used.