MDP primary: Two arrested from Male’ polling station released

The two men arrested from a polling station in Male’ City as electoral officials counted the ballots in the MDP presidential primary Saturday have been granted conditional release.

Two suspects, identified as Maldivian males, were arrested from the Iskandhar School hall for attempting to damage the ballot papers from the Lh. Hinnavaru constituency’s ballot box.

They were presented before the Criminal Court for their remand hearing Sunday.

According to police, they were both granted conditional release.

However, the police spokesperson did not specify the conditions.

Disturbances took place in several polling stations across Maldives during the heated MDP primary which pitched President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih against MDP’s leader and Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed.

Two more men were arrested from GDh. Rathafandhoo and one from GDh. Thinadhoo for damaging ballot boxes. They were also released from police custody Sunday.

President Solih won the election with 61 percent of votes. He won 24,572 votes while Nasheed won 15,631 votes – 39 percent.