Policeman arrested for assault claims he was ‘not of sound mind’ due to sleep deprivation

A policeman who was arrested last weekend from a beauty salon in Male’ City for allegedly assaulting a salon worker and then proceeding to obstruct and assault the police who attempted to intervene told the Criminal Court on Saturday that he had not been of “sound mind” at the time due to sleep deprivation.

Ali Manik, 43, Asaree Villa, S. Hithadhoo, was reported to the police on Friday for allegedly barging into the salon, creating a disturbance and destroying property, and assaulting one of the employees.

When police arrived at the scene, Ali Manik allegedly assaulted one of the police officers and obstructed the police from performing their duty.

He was arrested on Friday, and had collapsed while in police custody, leading to hospitalization.

He had been in hospital on Saturday when the Criminal Court remanded him in custody of the police for five days and instructed the police to bring him before a judge once he is discharged from hospital.

Ali Manik, an active member of the police force who resides at the Iskandhar Koshi, was taken to the Criminal Court on Sunday.

At the hearing, Ali Manik told the court that he was a regular patron at the salon, but had not been of sound mind when the incident occurred due to days of sleep deprivation.

Meanwhile, the investigative officer told the court that Ali Manik, in addition to destroying property at the salon, and had also caused injuries to a police officer when he resisted the police and refused to obey their orders.

Ali Manik, who has no prior criminal record, was remanded in custody for five days after he asked for the chance to hire legal representation.

Ali Manik was suspended without pay on Saturday, and is also the subject of an internal investigation by the Professional Standards Command in addition to the official criminal investigation.