Six people charged with terrorism for taking DPRS employees hostage

The State has charged six people with the offence of terrorism, on suspicion of taking three employees of the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service (DPRS) hostage during the unrest at Maafushi Prison in 2010.

The suspects are Hoodh Ibrahim of M. Kadhurumaage, Ishaag Haleem of G. Ufuriya, Maujoodh Riyaz of Male’ Municipality Khaassa Dhaftharu 786, Mohamed Azleen of H. Saaneeway, Ali Rilwaan Usman of G. Dhonbageechaage, and Abdullah Muaz Saeed of Male’ Municipality Khaassa Dhaftharu 618.

Hoodh Ibrahim, Ishaag Haleem, Maujoodh Riyaz and Mohamed Azleen were present in court today.

The State Prosecutor said that they are charged with the offence of terrorism following the incident that took place at around 8:15 pm on 12 August 2010, in which they escaped from Maafushi Prison Unit 10 and held three employees of DPRS hostage in the corridor of Unit 2.

The suspects denied these charges, and said that the State had pressed charges without conducting any investigations. The judge however said that the court had received a statement regarding the suspects’ exercise of their right to remain silent during the investigations.

The judge announced that the State will be given the opportunity to present evidence at the next session of the trial, before adjourning the trial today.

They are being charged under Article 6 (b) with reference to Article 2 (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

The penalty for this crime as per Article 2 (b) of the Act is imprisonment or banishment for a period between 10 and 15 years.

The case was filed to Criminal Court by the Prosecutor General’s Office on 14 February 2013.